Dragonball DC
by Touzoshin
Summary: The destruction of Krypton and Planet Vegeta by one of the Universe's most powerful overlord's creates a series of events that effectively changes the course of history. A fusion of the DC and DBZ Universe's.
1. Dawn of creation

**Disclaimer: DC and DBZ belong to their respective owners; I own nothing. **

**Chapter 1: Dawn of Creation **

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In the beginning, before the Multiverse was created, existed the Primal Monitor and Tori-bot. The Primal Monitor was the abstract, conscious, void outside all creation. Tori-bot was the personable, conscious, machine outside all creation. In the bleak void of nothingness, Tori-bot began to grow bored. Seeking to alleviate his ennui, the mischievous Tori-bot decided to play with the Primal Monitor. Creating a brush, Tori-bot began to draw on the blank canvas that was the Primal Monitor. As Tori-bot continued to draw his artwork spawned structures of infinitesimal, rippling, manifolds upon whose surface intricate germ-like processes thrived and multiplied.

These rippling manifolds were the Multiverse, infinite in number. **[1]**

Thinking these complexities and contradictions were a flaw, The Primal Monitor created The Presence to watch over them. The Presence was the child of the Primal Monitor, grafted with the powers of its creator. To assist him The Presence created Michael Demiurgos and Samael, who would later go on to be known as Lucifer. Michael and his brother Lucifer were the first creations of The Presence, and each was gifted with a specific power from their creator. Samael was gifted with the power of fire and indomitable will. Michael, his brother, was gifted with demiurgic power, the power of creation. The brothers would go on to become the first angels and the first to be welcomed into heaven.

With his demiurgic powers, Michael created the concepts of magic, Ki, cosmic and primordial power, time, dreams, and emotions. The seven beings known as The Endless- death, delirium, desire, despair, destiny, destruction, and dream were inadvertently created from this power. Ageless, immortal, and nigh-omnipotent, the Endless became the embodiment for the fundamental forces of existence itself. Other beings such as Rama Kushna, the embodiment of Karma, and Kismet were born from Michael's power. Eventually, after eons, Samael grew tired of the Presence' reign and lead a rebellion against his creator. A civil war across heaven ensued, pitting Lucifer and his followers against Michael and the heavenly host.

Samael was defeated and cast out of heaven into the void known as the Chaoplasm. This void would later become known as Hell, the house of torment for the damned. It was during this time that Samael officially adopted the name Lucifer. Out of the heavenly rebellion, several cosmic entities were spawned. The Spectre, a repentant angel who had rebelled with Lucifer became the divine incarnation for the Presence' wrath. The Radiant, the Spectre's opposite, and sister, was created to counteract the Presence vengeance and serve as his mercy. The Word, the brother to the Spectre and the Radiant, would become the Presence' executioner, destroying anything and anyone that threatened his master. **[2]**

Following these events, during the First World when the Universe was still young, the GodWorld was formed out of native elements. The GodWorld – also known as Asgaard or Urgrund – was a huge planet at the very heart of the cosmos. After billions of years, the First World slowly segued into the Second World as the humanoid lifeforms on the GodWorld attained godhood. Around this time the Maltusians, the race that would become the Guardians of the Universe gained sentience. The gods on Godworld eventually began to bicker and fight with one another resulting in a cataclysmic event that would spell their doom; Ragnarök.

The energy unleashed by the explosion of the GodWorld spread across the universe, generating what later became known as the GodWave. Out of the Godwave various pantheons of gods, and divine entities, such as the Kai's were birthed, giving rise to the Third World. As the wave spread it eventually reached the edge of the universe and rebounded, making a second pass that created the potential for Superhumans. The Godwave was responsible for creating the likes of the Speed Force, the Quantum Field, and the forces that would eventually allow for the creation of the objects known as the Dragonballs.

Billions of years after the cataclysm, the molten remnants of the GodWorld began to cool and formed two separate planets: the dark Apokolips and the light New Genesis. As humanoid life appeared, it became obvious that the hearts of the denizens mirrored their worlds. The denizens of green New Genesis dedicated themselves to peace and happiness. The savage Apokolips brought forth a war-like race which had originated with one of the witches of the old world. The 'Fourth World' began as these New Gods attained godhood. Destined to repeat history, war eventually broke out between the New Genesis and Apokolips, and the hostilities remain to this day.

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**Authors Note:** This chapter was necessary to explain how DC deities and DBZ entities simultaneously exist with one another. I'll probably write another one of these types of chapters later, but I don't want to reveal too much right now.

**[1]:** The Primal Monitor, simply put, is the canvas the writer, in the case me- uses. Since the writer of the story is basically the Primal Monitor I decided that The Presence would be a creation of the Primal Monitor, grafted of its power. This also negates the contradiction of The Presence and the Primal Monitor both creating the Multiverse since they are now tied to one another. Also, since the Primal Monitor is essentially a blank canvas I decided that Tori-bot, who is Akira Toriyama, would share responsibility for creating the Multiverse.

**[2]:** The Spectre, Radiant, and The Word all being created at the same time didn't originally occur in DC, but it made more sense to me for it to occur this way.

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**Q/A:**

**SeanHicks4:** Thank you for pointing out the grammar mistakes in the previous chapter, I went back and corrected them. The back story of what went down with the PTO and the Guardians will eventually be shown as the story progresses.

**EgyLynx:** I have no idea what your review was trying to say.

Itheone**:** Krypton got destroyed; there wasn't really much else to expand upon. Thanks for the kind words. I wish you success on your story as well.

**ArmyWife22079:** Videl's origin will be the same; I don't plan on changing that.

**Legionary Prime:** Yes this story will use events from both Universes.

**Blinded in a bolthole:** I know about DBO and the information that was revealed in it but as I stated in a previous chapter I didn't want everyone to be able to use Ki. Making Ki usage specific to Homo Magki was my way of ensuring that only DBZ humans could use it. For the most part, I'm not a fan of power crossovers. Having a tail might not seem that odd to you but when Bulma initially met Goku she was surprised at the fact that he had a tail, even after living in a world where all those things existed.


	2. Annihilation

_Thoughts_

"Speech"

**Disclaimer: DC and DBZ belong to their respective owners; I own nothing.**

**Chapter 1: Annihilation **

**Krypton**

* * *

"Jor-El you can't be serious."

"But I am my love."

Staring into the cerulean orbs of his beloved wife, Krypton's greatest scientist huffed an exasperated sigh. Dark circles orbited around his lids, along with matching bags under his eyes from a lack of sleep. His eyes lingered over Lara's somber smile, before turning away to the computer behind them.

"I cannot believe it. Planet Vegeta cannot possibly be gone!" Lara-El's voice wavered with every syllable, her crimson lips quivering in unbelief.

"But it is my love." Turning away from the computer Jor-El placed a consoling hand on his wife's trembling shoulder.

"Last week one of my probes witnessed the destruction of Planet Vegeta."

The cup of coffee in her hand shattered as it slipped to the ground, spilling its contents along the way.

"I-I-im...Impossible!" Lara-El's blonde locks swayed as her head shook in pure disbelief.

For centuries, the Saiyans and Kryptonians had waged seemingly endless war on one another. The brutal conflict had been sparked when the Saiyans had invaded planet Plant, claiming it as their own. The Tuffles had been one of Krypton's greatest allies. Their scientific inquiries and discoveries had forged an alliance between the two civilizations. That was until the Saiyans had arrived. The war mongering, ape-like race, had appeared from nowhere with seemingly one goal in mind; to conquer the planet.

For all the technological advancements the civilization had made, they were still unable to match the brute strength and force of the Saiyans. Realizing they were at a disadvantage the Tuffles had called for aid from Krypton. The two planets were on opposite ends of the Solar System but the Kryptonians still decided to send troops to help. But by the time they had arrived the Saiyans had thoroughly annihilated the Tsufuru-jin. The Saiyans had then attacked the newly arrived Kryptonians, sparking a new war between the two races. **[1]**

Turning back to the computer Jor-El's hand tapped a button on its screen. A large holographic image projected from it, illuminating the room in it's bright glow.

"My my...look at the light show! I've certainly outdone myself this time! Unbelievable what a great show! Hahaha!"

Cackling child-like laughter was heard as a vermillion ball of energy rocketed towards the planet known as Vegeta. Battalions of warriors were caught in its path as it soared towards the planet below. The horrifying cries of a dying planet consumed the bleak void of space as Vegeta shattered into innumerable pieces of stardust. Incalculable numbers of Saiyans died instantly, along with their homeworld as the ball of energy entered the planet's atmosphere.

Subconsciously Lara-El's hand rose to cover her mouth, her slender fingers trying valiantly to contain her panic-stricken gasp. But her tears could not be withheld, and soon waterfalls of tears began trickling down her cheeks.

"As wicked as they were even they didn't deserve such a fate. T-think of all the innocent children that must have died with that blast."

Jor-El rushed to embrace his wife, the hologram vanishing as his arms wrapped tightly around her. "No, they didn't," He cooed gently as he stroked her silky hair. "But now I fear we may be next."

"What?!" A cry of confusion and shock bellowed from Lara's lips as she broke the embrace. What did Jor-El mean?

"The one responsible for this is coming after our world next," Returning to the computer, the science council's greatest mind hit several buttons as another holographic image appeared. "This is a live feed."

Lara's eyes widened to extreme proportions as she viewed a gigantic spherical spaceship hovering above Krypton's sister planet Argo.

"The-the one who did this, he's on that spaceship isn't he?"

With a solemn nod, Jor-El replied yes. "And if his actions against Planet Vegeta are any indicator, this does not bode well for our planet."

Glancing away from the screen back to her husband, Lara tensed as she understood the look in his eyes.

"He's coming to destroy Krypton isn't he?"

Jor-El's throat ran dry as he struggled to say the inevitable. His mind knew the answer, and the words to utter, but simply saying them was agonizing.

"Yes."

His wife's reaction was surprisingly calm. Her cheeks scrunched, but other than that her face remained largely impassive to his words. She had known from the moment he had played the video.

"The science council," She paused, her eyes fluttering in hope for good news. "Have you told them of this?"

Krypton's greatest mind frowned as he glanced around his lab. For all the inventions he had created, for all the advancements he had led Krypton to, in the end, he would be unable to save it from its doom.

"I have. Most of the council members laughed at the destruction of our greatest foe. When I showed them this video they said they would actually thank that monster for doing them a favor. They actually plan on celebrating his arrival."

"They what?!" Lara's ears could not believe the words her husband had uttered. Decades of war with the Saiyans had taken its toll on Krypton. But never in a million years would she have imagined the science council would celebrate the arrival of a monster that had committed genocide, even if it was against the Saiyans.

"I could not convince them otherwise. They were more than satisfied with his actions," His mind recounted the amused smiles on his fellow Kryptonian's faces. "There is only one thing we can do now."

Shaking from her dazed stupor, Lara turned her gaze back to her husband. "What?"

"We can save Kal."

Lara's mind bubbled with thoughts of their newborn son who was currently asleep in his crib. He was her world, her rock, her everything. He had yet to experience even a fraction of the joys life held.

"What about us, though?"

Jor-El swallowed deeply, he would need all his strength for what he was about to say. Rao help me.

"We must die along with Krypton. I alone am responsible for a multitude of deaths with the weapons I forged. We have both had a hand in bloodshed. I want Kal to start a new, free from both of our pasts." **[2]**

Their gaze held strong, neither wanting to break apart as they searched the depths of their souls. The thought of death had rarely if ever crossed Lara's mind. It was frightening to think about leaving this world, or worse, leaving Kal.

"What about the rest of Krypton though? Surely they cannot be allowed to die."

"As I said earlier I warned the science council and they failed to heed my words. I have attempted to share my information with other Kryptonians but they too shared the same reactions as the council. The only one who has believed me is my brother Zor-El. He's built a ship for Kara."

"Kara," Lara mumbled absentmindedly. Her mind flashed to images Zor-El's daughter who was a splitting image of her mother. His daughter had been one of the few who managed to escape being drafted into the war, due largely to her father's position on the council. "You said he built a ship?"

Jor-El quickly nodded as his fingers lightly tapped the keys on the computer once more. An intricate diagram appeared on the screen showing blueprints for a relatively large ship.

"We both have."

Lara's feet moved with a mind of their own as she stepped closer to the screen. Her blue eyes narrowed as she scrutinized the blueprints. This technology was beyond anything Jor-El had created for the military. It's flight capabilities were amazing. Its destination was a planet called...Earth?

Finishing her analysis, she returned back to her original standing place.

"How long have you been planning this?" Her voice was as scornful as the look on her face. Based on the complex diagram this was not a project he had recently undertaken.

Jor-El passed a shameful look to his wife. He had been planning this for a while, ever since he had discovered just who was behind Vegeta's destruction.

"The one behind this attack has been on the move lately. I've been planning for this possible scenario for at least five months. "

"Five months!?" Jor-El gulped as he watched the tapping of his wife's foot against the floor. She only did that when she was truly angry.

Lara wanted to scream. She wanted to run over to her husband and smack him right upside that big head of his, but she knew better. Throwing a temper tantrum would do nothing about their current situation. And truthfully, if the science council hadn't listened, telling her wouldn't have mattered anyways.

Ceasing her foot tapping she massaged her now aching temple.

"How much time do we have left?"

"My computer estimates we have but a few days left."

The sound of a pin dropping could be heard as haunting silence echoed throughout the laboratory.

"What should we do with them?"

Shutting down the computer Jor-El lifted his wife into her arms. He inhaled her majestic scent, allowing his hands to frolic through her golden locks. He didn't know how many opportunities he would have left to do this.

"We should spend them together."

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**Authors Note:** Crossing the DCU with DBZ is a pretty big challenge. I'm fairly familiar with both fandoms but I could always use some help. If anyone has any ideas they wish to add to the story, feel free to pm me about them. I could use the help. The chapter lengths will get longer, this was essentially just the prologue.

**[1]: **The idea to make Saiyans and Kryptonians enemies was inspired by Superman: Earth One. In that graphic novel, the Kryptonians and Dheronians were enemies who waged war against one another. I thought it would be an interesting idea for the Saiyans and Kryptonians to be enemies as well. There's a multitude of storylines that could possibly spawn from this, and it will also make Goku and Superman's relationship more interesting in the future. The Sun in the Solar System Saiyans and Kryptonians reside in is obviously a red one.

**[2]: **I got this idea from Man of Steel.

**Please remember to review. This 1st chapter will let me gauge whether or not I should continue. **


	3. First Contact

_Thoughts_

"Speech"

**Disclaimer: DC and DBZ belong to their respective owners; I own nothing. **

**Chapter 3: First Contact**

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**Planet Earth **

**Age 737(1987), Mount Paozu**

The gray haired man who would one day become affectionately known as Grandpa Gohan was taking a stroll through the forest. It was a particularly humid day causing beads of sweat to form on on his forehead. Pausing to wipe the newly formed moisture, the martial artist gazed into the sky. The sun was shinning brightly, seemingly beaming directly upon him. With a deep sigh he readjusted his straw hat to better cover his face as he continued on his trek.

The reason for his hike this afternoon was to search for herbs that could only be found in the bamboo forest. Living secluded on Mount Paozu, away from the rest of society did not afford him the luxury of having readily available doctors or medical care. That meant he had to take care of his medical needs himself. By now it was no problem, years of seclusion had taught him nearly total self reliance. Unfortunately his body was not as strong as it had been in his youth. Years ago this trek would've taken him an hour at worst, but now at 79, it took him at least four.

He was growing older everyday and didn't truly have anything to show for his time on Earth. Sure he trained under Master Roshi, become an accomplished martial artist, and had gone on a great number of adventures, but there still something seriously lacking in his life. His fellow student, the Ox-Prince, now King, had started a family and now had a daughter. He had enjoyed the company of several beautiful women but had never once pondered settling down **[1]**. But now at nearly 80 he was seriously regretting it.

_If only I had settled down earlier. I could've had a son, a daughter, maybe even grand...!_

Gohan's train of thought was shattered as he noticed something rocketing out of the sky. It was far too small to be a plane, and planes rarely flew over Mount Paozu to begin with. What could it possibly be? Focusing his gaze as he squinted, Gohan reached a sudden epiphany; it was headed directly towards the forest! Quickly gathering himself the elderly man attempted to scamper out of the forest before whatever it was touched down, but by then it was too late.

**Boom!**

Gohan was sent tumbling to his knees from the tremor following the collision. Still slightly disoriented from the abrupt fall, the former student of Master Roshi struggled to his feet. His nostrils were immediately bombarded with the smell of burning wood. Warily glancing around he breathed a sigh of relief. Luckily the flames started by the object from the sky weren't enough to seriously threaten burning the forest.

Turning his sights towards the origin of the flames Gohan contemplated what course of action to take next. Whatever had just crashed was definitely not a plane, the impact would have been greater if it was. There were too many unknown variables and whatever landed could potentially be dangerous. But at the same time whatever had landed could also be in danger or in need of help. Rubbing his mustache he made a decision; he decided to help.

Passing several bamboo trees as he trekked deeper into the forest, Gohan's brows rose in shock as he reached his destination.

"W-wh...what in the world!?"

Standing just inches away from a massive crater, Gohan's eyes fell upon the small spherical machine located directly in it's center. Sliding down into the crater Gohan walked closer to get a better view of the unidentified object. Slowing his pace the Kamesennin student carefully examined the contraption. It was unlike anything he had ever seen- and his steely eyes had witnessed a lot over the span of 7 decades. It appeared to be a ship of some kind, albeit and extremely small one. Leaning down on one knee Gohan gazed directly into it's cracked window.

There was a seat! But where was it's passenger? And what could possibly fit into something this small? Scratching his temple the elderly man glanced around hoping to find the it's passenger. _Maybe it's passenger didn't survive? Or maybe the ship was sent by itself? But that wouldn't make much sense would..._

Gohan's thoughts faded into obscurity, his ears picking up on a sound he hadn't heard in years; crying.

"Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

Following the noise as it grew louder Gohan was led back into the forest. His walk ended as he came face to face with a spiky haired infant.

"A baby? Where in the world did you come from?"

Picking the child up by his waist Gohan smiled as the infant immediately stopped crying. His jaw slacked as he saw a furry brown tail tangle from the child's spine.

"A tail!" He exclaimed. _Could he be a Homo Magki? __But none of us have tails.__Maybe he could be a... **[2]**  
_

An abrupt kick to the face immediately brought the Kamesennin student out of reverie.

"Well aren't you a feisty one?" Gohan said chuckling. "I can't leave you out here all by yourself now can I?"

Seemingly understanding Gohan's words the child in question shook his head.

"Well that settles it then; I'm taking you home with me."

Cradling the baby in his arm Gohan turned in the direction of his home but stopped abruptly.

"I totally forgot about your name. I can't leave you nameless now can I?" Cocking his brow to the side Gohan began mumbling to himself. "Goten, Gotenks...no...Goku! That's it Goku!"

Beaming down at the now thumb-sucking child in his arms Gohan chuckled to himself. Maybe he could have that family after all.

* * *

**Age 737(1987), Smallville **

On a bumpy road in Kansas a lone red pick up truck was chugging it's way across the highway.

"Jonathan how many times have I told you to get rid of this thing?" An irritated Martha Kent asked from the passenger seat. She had pestered her husband numerous times about getting a new car.

"Why buy a new one? After all these years she still rides just fine." Jonathan said as he patted the steering the wheel. This car was one of the few remaining relics he had from his father.

Rolling her eyes Martha sighed as she placed a hand on her husband's shoulder. "I know the personal connection you have with this car Jonathan but just look at it..it's barely managing to clunker down the highway!" Pointing her hand out the window she directed her husband to the clouds of smoke emitting from the engine of his car.

"Aw damn it...not again!"

Slowing down on the accelerator Jonathan pulled the car over to the breakdown lane. This was the third time this month that the car engine had smoked.

"If we had the money we could've bought one of those capsule corp cars."

"Martha you know how expensive those contraptions are...they'd cost an arm and a leg." Jonathan said, slightly raising his voice. The capsule corporation was a fairly new company with technology unlike anything the world had seen. Unfortunately their technology cost more than both of their annual salaries.

"Which is why I said _if _Jonathan no need to get so riled up about it." Martha soothingly said as she lightly patted her spouse's thigh.

"I'm not getting riled up Martha" Jonathan replied as he turned to face his wife. "You know the history I have with this car. It was the car my dad gave me. It was the car I used to pick you up on our first date. It was the car we drove off with on our wedding day. It was the car..."

"Jonathan I know...I know... I've heard all this...before?"

Jonathan's eyes narrowed as his wife's words suddenly trailed off, a blank stare appearing on her face.

"Martha? Martha!" Jonathan shouted as he began waving his hand in his wife's face attempting to awake her from whatever trance she had fallen under. Finally after several seconds his wife blinked her eyes once again.

"Jonathan...look...in the sky!"

The farmer's head turned as he faced the direction his wife was pointing at. Peering out the window Jonathan saw a something rapidly streaking out of the sky.

"Is that a comet?" Jonathan asked in pure disbelief.

"I don't know what it is...but it looks like it's headed towards that corn field!"

Before the couple could muster another word they were sent tumbling backwards in their seats. The objects collision with the ground rocking their truck.

"Jonathan are you alright?" Martha asked as she was the first to recover.

"Excluding this headache I have now; I'm fine." Jonathan responded. "How are you honey?"

"I'm fine." Martha said shaking her head. "But what was that thing that that landed in the corn field?"

"I don't know Martha but I'm going to find out."

"Jonathan wait!" Martha's words fell on deaf ears as Jonathan was already out of the door, headed towards the corn field. "Why doesn't he ever listen to me?" With a deep sigh Martha unbuckled her seat belt and followed her husbands lead.

* * *

**Dragonball: DC**

After several minutes of walking through the now destroyed corn field, Jonathan finally arrived at his destination.

"My God!"

Standing on the outskirts of a gigantic crater, the farmer was awestruck by the object in it's dead center. It appeared to be a rocket of some kind, but it was unlike any one that he had seen before. Could the government be responsible for this? It was possible but they never did any testing in Smallville as far as he knew. Maybe a tech company like Lexcorp or Capsule corp was responsible? But either way, whatever it was looked astounding from the outside.

Stirring from his thoughts Jonathan decided to go and get a closer look at it. With a quick slide Martha's husband made his way into the crater, the smell of burning metal instantly filling his nostrils. Approaching what appeared the be the door of the contraption, Jonathan attempted to force it open.

"Just...what...is...this...thing...made...of!"

Failing to open it with brute strength Jonathan succumbed to his frustration and began kicking on the door in anger, which much to his surprise...opened. Even more surprising was the thing, or rather what was inside of it.

"A baby?!"

A small dark haired child lay nestled in what appeared to be a seat of some kind.

_Where did this thing come from? Where did he come from? Who would put a child in something like this? The government can't possibly be responsible for this! He's just a baby...where are his parents? _

A tidal wave of thoughts rolled through Jonathan's mind as he stared at the sleeping child. There were a multitude of questions but at this moment they weren't so important. What was important was making sure this child was safe, wherever he came from. _Maybe this is the answer to that child we've always wanted. _

Cradling the infant in his arms as he picked him up, Jonathan chuckled to himself. "Wait till Martha gets a load of this."

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**A big thank you to everyone who reviewed the previous chapter.  
**

**Authors Note:** If you have any ideas you feel like contributing towards the story feel free to pm me.

**[1]: **Grandpa Gohan was playboy, it was hinted at during the Fortuneteller Baba saga.

**[2]: **In the DC Universe the people who are able to use magic are a sub-race of humans called the **Homo Magi**. Similarly the people in this story who can use Ki are called the **Homo Magki**. I didn't want everyone in this story to be able to use Ki, only the DBZ characters. Every human who can use Ki is a part of this sub-race.

* * *

**Q/A: **

**Superiornite: **About the pairings I'm not particularly sure, some might change and some might stay the same.

**SaiyaStyles: **There are two versions of the origin of the Saiyan conflict with the Tuffles. One version states that the Saiyans had lived on Planet Plant all along with the Tuffles. But another version such as the Plan to Eradicate the Super Saiyans states that the Saiyans pretty much invaded planet Plant. I chose the later version for this story.

**HayabusaDragonForce: **As I stated in my reply to Superiornite some pairings might change and some might remain the same. The one you mentioned could be a possibility.

**Spencerlonewolf: **I plan on deleting any comments about power levels. I've seen far too many stories review section get filled up with them. I'm having a really tough time conflating these two Universes so who knows what sagas might be implied lol.

**ArmyWife22079: **This won't be in any particular DC Universe, this story will be an amalgamation of various Universes, both New 52 and Post-Crisis.


	4. Journey to the East

_Thoughts_

"Speech"

**Disclaimer: DC and DBZ belong to their respective owners; I own nothing. **

**Chapter 4: Journey to the East **

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**Age 749 (1999), ****Chikyu**

Chikyu was a very peculiar nation.

Located in the Pacific ocean in-between Japan and America, the world's fourth largest country was an anomaly. Divided into 43 regions the nation consisted of one large island and several, other, smaller land masses. Much like Hawaii the country shared several Asian influences but wasn't technically located in Asia, nor was it geographically fixed to North America. Physiographically and ethnologically Chikyu was part of Oceania. Officially, the countries languages were English and Japanese due to the close connection it had with America and Japan, which was largely due in part to the royal family. **[1]**

Politically the island was a monarchy, ruled by the liege King Furry. Monarchies across the globe had long since dwindled with a select few nations choosing to keep them in place, but what made Chikyu's kingdom particularly unique, was the fact it was lead by a blue anthropomorphic dog. Chikyu's monarch, King Furry, as known by his subjects, was just one of several anthropomorphic animals that resided in the nation. For whatever reason evolution had taken a particularly unique turn on this one select nation, giving birth to certain animals that were bipedal, capable of human speech, and discernment of good and evil. Not only did this island posses anthropomorphic creatures, but it held the last breathing dinosaurs on Earth.

Scientists were extremely baffled by these phenomena. Centuries of research had been made in attempts to understand why this nation, and this nation _solely_ deviated so far from the rest of the world. But all attempts until this point had proven fruitless. Scientists across the globe could only point to a single event, in a single ancient cave, from whence the deviation spawned. In that dark, shrouded, cavern rested a crude, prehistoric painting of what appeared to be a humanoid figure in a chair of some sort. Archeologists didn't know what to make of the mural, but whatever it was and whoever was pictured in it, it was of great importance to the world. **[2]**

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**Age 749 (1999), ****West City**

West City.

The capital of Chikyu.

The crown jewel of King Furry's eyes.

Resting just off the coast of the Pacific the city boasted a population of roughly eight million. West City was an Alpha ++ megalopolis comparable only to London, New York, Metropolis and Gotham. In fact, in several ways West City surpassed them all. Metropolis was known as the 'city of tomorrow' but that designation truthfully, and rightfully, belonged to West City. The technological innovations created by Capsule Corps, elevated not only West City, but Chikyu as a whole above above any other place on Earth.

Founded by the highly eccentric scientist Dr. Brief, the Capsule Corporation was the world's foremost manufacturer in technological goods. From it's inception till present day the company had grown exponentially. Just last year alone the corporation had raked in over 300 billion Zeni. Dr. Brief and his company were largely responsible for Chikyu's economic boom. Chikyu had never struggled economically, save for the great cataclysm caused by the Demon King Piccolo, but it had been a fairly middle of the pack country comparable to the likes of Ireland. But the creation of Capsule Corps over three decades ago had changed all that.

Dr. Brief's wildly innovative creation – the DynoCaps- was arguably the greatest invention of the 20th century. The DynoCaps were able to efficiently condense objects and items that, scientifically should have been impossible, into small pocket sized capsules. Things such as cars, boats, motorcycles, houses, hovercars, yes _hovercars_ which Dr. Briefs was also responsible for creating – could now be compressed into palm sized capsules. The public immediately latched onto the idea, buying over one million capsules the same day they hit the market. The Capsule Corps website crashed within thirty seconds of the items being placed on sale.

Over the course of the next three decades Dr. Briefs invention revolutionized the world. DynoCaps were cheap and easy to make but sold for a killing. Chikyu witnessed an economic surge, which not only boosted the country's overall GDP, but boosted Dr. Brief's bank account as well. Chikyu's currency, the Zeni, was now on equal footing with the Euro and was projected to surpass all other currency's by the year 2020. Partnering with the American company WayneTech helped double Capsule Corps sales and revenue. As it stood Dr. Brief was the current richest man in the world, with an estimated net worth of 100 billion dollars.

The turquoise haired scientist could have been even wealthier if he would've ventured into the business of making weapons, but his high code of ethics argued strongly against that. A great military presence really wasn't necessary. Outside of the great cataclysm involving the Demon King Piccolo, Chikyu had never been thrust into war. The country had successfully managed to evade conflict largely due to royal family's great leadership. When World War's one and two had broken out, Chikyu managed to stay neutral. But things had recently begun to change with the fall and upheaval of Red Ribbon.

Red Ribbon had once been the Capsule Corporations greatest competition. During the initial inception of both companies they had been practically neck and neck with one another. Red Ribbon managed to keep pace with Capsule Corps by relying on reverse-engineering, selling cheap knock offs of Dr. Brief's products, specializing in military equipment. But a dramatic paradigm shift occurred once DynoCaps hit the market. Red Ribbon's scientists could no longer reverse engineer Dr. Brief's products, and were finally forced to place their inferior inventions on the market. Sales dropped dramatically once the public realized how substandard the products were. Journalists uncovering Red Ribbon's scam was just the final nail in the coffin. Disgraced and humiliated Red Ribbon ventured into the black market, becoming the Red Ribbon Army. **[3]**

Not much was known about the RRA's new goals and plans, but government intelligence knew they were far from benevolent. They were now rumored to have ties with the League of Assassins whose motives and interests were equally mysterious. None of this bode well for King Furry and his empire, which is why in recent years he had begun arming himself and his country against the potential threat the RRA posed. Since Dr. Brief was still unwilling to manufacture any weapons for the military, the anthropomorphic liege had to seek out other sources, specifically from LuthorCorp.

LuthorCorp was an upstart company with highly dubious origins. Fifty year old Lionel Luthor was a genius in every sense of the word. His intellect rivaled and even possibly surpassed that of Dr. Briefs. But he was as ruthless as he was cunning. Lionel's parents, Lachlan and Eliza, had been burned alive in their home. Many had suspected young Lionel of the crime, but with no evidence or witnesses to corroborate those suspicions, there was nothing that could be done. **[4]**

Collecting his dead parents insurance money, Lionel used a portion of it to fund himself through Harvard. Shortly after graduation, Lionel returned to Metropolis and used the remainder of his parents' life insurance policy to establish Luthor Industries. L.I. prospered and eventually became a multinational empire known as LuthorCorp. Under Lionel's astute management LuthorCorp began absorbing scores of smaller businesses, forming one of the world's biggest conglomerates. The ambitious enterprise had a hand in practically everything. Technology, news, sports, music, finances, weaponry, and the list went on and on. LuthorCorp was arguably even bigger than Capsule Corps, due to it's further spanning reach. And when King Furry began his mass arming of weapons, LuthorCorp was more than happy to be there every step of the way.

* * *

**Age 749 (1999), ****West City, Capsule Corps**

Capsule Corps. Located at address WST 3338926 K, just fifteen miles away from city hall. The most famous building in West City and arguably the whole of Chikyu. Denoted by humongous aquamarine letters engraved in the front of the building, and a banner bearing the company's trademark symbol. Lush palm tress circled the magnanimous building giving it a more tropical feel. It was incomparable to any other corporations head quarters. The dome shaped building was as nonconformist as it's owner.

As big as the building was it was still minuscule in comparison to other fortune 500 company's offices. Heck, WayneTech's headquarters was a whopping eighty floors, a true testament to human ingenuity. Dr. Brief could have built something on that grand a scale but chose not to, the gray bearded scientist instead chose to build an office with a more homely feel. Eccentric as always, Dr. Brief was the only known CEO who lived in his company's headquarters.

Dr. Brief's work was his life, and his life was his work. He could have simply chosen to build a lab in a grandiose home but he wanted to be as close as possible to his business and operations. The circular building was divided into three floors and a basement. The third floor was where the west and east towers were located. Directly below them, on the second floor, was the Brief family's living space. This was where the kitchen, living room, entertainment room, and bedrooms were located.

The first floor, where the entrance was, featured a lobby with a receptionist and lead to the Atrium. The atrium was one of Dr. Brief's most prized possessions. It was where the Brief's animals- particularly Dr. Brief's pet cat, Scratch lived. Other animals such as dinosaurs and dogs lived there as well. The Atrium also contained a sparring arena which lead to the capsule room. The capsule room was a room for employees only, that held practically all of the DynoCaps, even the experimental ones. There was also an exhibit room which displayed the various DynoCaps models over the years. Next to that was the central computer room, which was opened only by a Red Access Card. The central computer room was essentially the control panel for the entire building. Everything from the power, the electricity, the heat, even the internet was controlled from here.

The security room was right next door to the CRC and featured a small jail. It was constructed after the first attempted heist on Capsule Corps by the RRA. But the highlight of the first floor was Dr. Brief's lab and workshop. Out of all of Dr. Brief's possessions his lab was the most cherished, and the most expensive as well. Carefully hand built, the genius scientist had spared no expense for it's construction. It held technology that other countries wouldn't even have access to for at least another decade. The last, and final room on the first floor was the storage room, which a young turquoise haired girl was currently scrummaging through.

* * *

**Age 749 (1999), ****West City, Capsule Corps, Storage Room**

Bulma was annoyed.

Not the pesky annoyance of a miniscule mosquito pricking your skin, but the annoyance of being treated like an ignorant child. Her father, Dr. Brief, was making her organize the storage room. Was her dad growing senile? Could he not see that she was above menial tasks such as this? This is what he created those automatons in the lobby for. Genius level intellect like hers shouldn't be wasted classifying and categorizing old family photos and miscellaneous paraphernalia. She had an IQ of nearly 300 for crying out loud! She had graduated top of her class, in under two years, from West City College with her Masters in engineering. She might have graduated even earlier if not for her shy, goofiness around her male classmates. But that was another tale for another time.

She had accomplished as much as her father, education wise, in just sixteen years. She was the future heiress to the world's wealthiest family. But here she was spending her Saturday afternoon dusting off soot and grime from antiquated books. Lifting a particularly antediluvian book from the squeaky shelf, she coughed as she wiped it's mucky cover. _The Book of Eternity? _Cocking her head to the side the teenager recounted where she had heard that title from. A light bulb beamed in her mind as understanding dawned upon her. It was the name of one of Merlin's fabled books. Her father had a copy of it?

Taking a nearby seat on a long ago worn out couch the teenager settled in as she eagerly opened it's cover. A nettled frown quickly fell on the young heiress face as she began flipping through it's threadbare pages. It was unreadable. Whatever language the text was written in was completely unknown to her. It was a hodgepodge of squiggly lines, crude symbols, and archaic pictures which strongly resembled cave paintings. With a disappointed sigh Bulma threw the book into the a nearby bin. Even with her intellect she was unable to decode whatever it meant. She wouldn't leave it in storage though, it was far to valuable to be allowed to drift into obscurity once more.

Shaking off her disappointment Bulma pressed onward with her assigned task. Surveying her surroundings she slowly exhaled at the work that was still needed to be done. Boxes upon boxes were haphazardly stacked together. From their uneasy swaying it was probable that they could collapse at any given moment. A string of curse words erupted underneath her breath as the babel tower of boxes finally caved in. She made a mental note to give a tongue lashing to whoever had last organized this room, which was most likely her somewhat ditzy mother.

Scowling as she dropped down to the floor, Bulma once again ventured into the task of cleaning the ground. Two hours ago when she had originally set foot in the room she had been aghast by what she saw. The room had been a complete and utter mess. It had appeared as if a maelstrom of dust, soot, and grime had blown through it. Numerous, old mechanical parts had been littered everywhere. It looked like the room's occupants literally dropped their stuff in any available space and walked off, totally defeating the purpose of a storage room. It was called the storage room, not the throw-all-my-crap-in-here room.

Picking up this month's copy of Playboy magazine the turquoise haired teen disapprovingly shook her head. This was the twentieth issue she had picked up today. She had alphabetically categorized the other nineteen on the other bookshelf. In addition to the Playboy magazine's her father had a massive collection of hustler serials. Was her dad really _that_ perverted? She just couldn't understand it.

He was married to the former Miss Chikyu and Miss Universe. Her mother hadn't aged a day since their wedding photos. Sure her mom could be a little dimwitted at times, being totally oblivious to the things going around her, but she was the prototypical housewife. She cooked, she cleaned, she was absolutely gorgeous- a trait she had passed down to her daughters, so truly, what was the need for all this?

Her father loved her mother so the possibility of him cheating was in the lowest percentile, and was immediately ruled out. But she still couldn't process it. He was married to arguably the most beautiful woman in the world but still kept piles of dirty magazines? _Maybe all men are just perverts at heart? _Shrugging it off she gave it no further mind as she proceeded to pick up the next batch of litter from the floor.

_Jeez will I ever get done with this? The more I clean, the more stuff there is to pick up. This is a serious waste time. Just because you had to do stuff like this manually back in your day, doesn't mean I have to now. If I ever have kids they won't waste their time doing meaningless manual labor like..._

The turquoise haired girl's thoughts trailed off as she noticed something gleaming out of the corner of her eye. Dropping the stack of papers in her hands, she slowly reached over to a nearby toppled box. Dipping her hand into it she scooped up what appeared to be a ball of some sort. _What in the world is this? _Carefully raising it up to eye level Bulma further examined was a palm sized, orange, three inch, translucent ball with two red stars at it's center. Gently tossing it into the air, the teenager was shocked at just how light is was.

_What is this? Dad never told me there was anything like this in the storage room. Come to think of it, I don't recall organizing this box. _

Flipping the carton over Bulma saw the name of it's owner. It's was her deceased uncle's box. Her uncle, an archeologist, had died in a freak accident ten years ago while exploring an excavation site. She remembered the sadness and depression her normally jovial father had experienced during that tumultuous period in his life. _Was this what he found? _She pondered to herself, placing the ball on a table as she once again took a seat on the couch.

The last time she had spoken to her uncle, before his death, he told her he had located something called a Dragonball. Was that what the object sitting before her was? He had been ecstatic about his finding. It was going to be the discovery that finally made him famous. But due to his death, he never got the chance to unveil it to world. She wasn't sure what exactly it was, but she would most definitely find out.

* * *

**Dragonball: DC**

Following her clean up of the storage room, Bulma delved into discovering what exactly this Dragonball was. First she had inquired her parents. Her mother didn't know anything about it, but that was honestly to be expected. What was surprising though was the fact that her father had no knowledge of the object either. That truly baffled her. It was one of the rare occurrences where her dad was completely clueless about something.

Disappointed, but undeterred she trudged on searching the Internet for any information. Once again she was met with nothing. The word Dragonball didn't even get a single hit. How could the world wide web not have any info on it? Scratching her head she proceeded to research the old fashioned way; with books. But once again, as usual, there was no information in any of the books she read. Her father's library contained some off the rarest literature in the world, but not a single one had an iota of information on the Dragonball. It had now been a month since her initial discovery of the Dragonball and she was still as ignorant as she'd been when she'd first found them.

Sighing as she tossed aside another book from her desk, Bulma frowned. She despised not being able to accomplish something. When her father had doubted her ability to to finish college early, she worked her ass off and finished in half the time he did. Glancing over at the orange ball besides her computer, her expression darkened. It was like a constant reminder of her failure and ineptitude. The refracting light from it was almost taunting her. She would discover what that thing was or she would die trying!

But where would she get that knowledge from? Every book she read had no information on it. Even the Internet, which was supposed to have practically everything, was as ignorant as her. _I'm never going to find out am I?_ With an exasperated sigh the teenager leaned back against her chair, slumping into it's soft leather as she let her eyes rest. _I've expounded practically every available tool at my disposal. What's left? _But then a sudden realization struck her, forcing her eyes to jolt open. _The Book of Eternity!_

Scrambling to her bookshelf Bulma lifted the antiquated book from the shelf. In myths The Book of Eternity possessed the history of not only the Earth, but the entire Universe. Since her initial discovery of it in the storage room she hadn't been bothered to look at it. In fact, she had almost completely forgotten that she had it in her possession. She made a mental note to remind herself to ask her father of it's origin later, but for right now she wanted to see if there was any truth to the legends.

Settling back into her chair, by the computer, Bulma opened the book. It was still as an unreadable as when she'd first attempted to decipher it. Lines, arrows, rocks, squiggly lines. What did this all mean? Brushing off her annoyance she continued flipping through the pages. Though unnumbered, there was at least five hundred of them. Flipping to the half way mark of the book, she paused, her eyes lighting up as she recognized something familiar.

There was a picture of a Dragonball!

She recognized it immediately as her eyes hovered over it. Not only was there one Dragonball, but there was an entire group of them, seven of them to be exact. Placing an inquisitive hand on her chin, the teenager questioned what this all meant. _There's more of these things out there? What exactly do they do, and just what is their purpose? _There was only one way to find out, and that would involve deciphering the book's text. **[5]**

* * *

**Dragonball: DC**

Bulma had spent the following months cooped up in her room trying to unlock The Book of Eternity's secrets. She devoted most of, if not all of, her free time to deciphering it's text. She rarely came out of her room unless it was to eat or shower. Her father was curious about the sudden change, but her mother was largely oblivious. When Bulma had questioned Dr. Brief about the origin of the book he could give no proper response. He didn't even remember buying it. Mrs. Brief knew nothing of it as well.

All of this was a real head-scratcher to their daughter who ardently continued her research. Through use of the Internet and the large family library, Bulma was able to decipher some of the book's meaning. The book's text was assembled from various languages. Cuneiform, Sumerian, ancient Egyptian, and many more. Crude cave paintings were also sprinkled through the text for some reason. But there were other languages, almost otherworldly, that she just could not decipher. Luckily for her though, the page containing the information of the Dragonballs was one of the pages she now understood. After two months of nearly constant research she had cracked it's code.

Scribbling down her final translation, Bulma halted as she examined what was written.

_The Dragonballs are seven mystical objects of immense power. Once assembled together they are capable of granting nearly any wish, summoning Shenron, who resides inside them. Once completed, the balls spread throughout the world, remaining dormant for a year, turning into stone. After one year of dormancy they shall once again be available for use. _

Setting the paper back down on the metallic desk table, Bulma paused as she absorbed the information. _ Any wish? _The heiress thought as she eyed the two star ball. She practically had everything a person could want in life. She was intelligent, beautiful, and rich. In truth she didn't need much else. Most people would be satisfied with that. But there was one thing she could use. _A boyfriend. _

Bulma had always struggled with relations when it came to the opposite gender. Her interactions with men had always been awkward to say the least. Her status and fame as Dr. Brief's daughter certainly didn't help either. Guys were always interested in her but she was just so goofy and reticent around them. She didn't know if she would truly ever be able to break through that wall. But _this- _she thought glancing over to the Dragonball- would allow her to bypass that. Nodding her head the turquoise haired girl confirmed her decision. She would locate all of the Dragonballs.

_How will I find them though? _Settling into a pout the teen realized she was right back where she had started, one again searching for unknown information.

* * *

**Dragonball: DC**

It had taken a few weeks but Bulma had finally figured it out. After thousands of research hours, and time spent tinkering with the Dragonball she discovered something rather peculiar about it. The Dragonball which she had discovered in her father's storage room had a specific electromagnetic signature which was unlike anything she had ever encountered. Creating a device, which she dubbed the Dragon radar, she discovered how to tap into and locate that electromagnetic signature. All the other Dragonballs gave off the same electromagnetic signature. Her Dragon radar displayed their various locations across the Earth, now she just had to go and find them.

* * *

**Age 749 (1999), Dr. Brief's Lab**

Dr. Brief's lab was abuzz with noise. The unconventional, but brilliant scientist was tinkering with his latest prototype. The hovercycle was the latest of his new inventions. The idea of a hovercycle was nothing new, he was after all it's original inventor, but this hovercycle would be powered solely on solar energy. The money that could be saved with this latest vehicle was astounding. Not only would it reduce costs but it would reduce the overall pollution on Earth as well.

"Just one more piece" The gray bearded scientist said to himself as he finished screwing in the last bolt. "Done." With a content sigh the CEO of capsule corps paused as he took a moment to admire his handiwork.

"Actually you're missing a knob Dad." Came a distinctly feminine voice from behind. Adjusting his glasses the Doctor leaned forward as he examined more closely. She was right! Rotating around Dr. Brief was met with the grinning face of his daughter.

"How did you see that from all the way over there?" He inquired as he glanced back at the door she had arrived through. _And how didn't I notice you before you said anything? _

"I just have a good sense about these things," Bulma cheekily replied. "But anyways, I wanted to talk to you about something Dad." The young heiress began as she switched the topic of their discussion.

"What is it Bulma?" Her father absentmindedly replied as he once again began tinkering with the machine on his lab table.

"I want to go on a vacation."

"We already have one planed for this fall dear."

Frowning the teen spoke once more. "No, I mean by myself. Not including you or mom."

Dropping his wrench Dr. Brief spun on his heels as he gave his daughter his full attention. "But why?"

"Why not?" She retorted with a snort. She would be of legal age in a few months anyways.

Sighing as he pushed his work aside, Dr. Brief realized he was in for a long argument. "What type of vacation? To where? And for how long."

"One that involves exploration, across the world, for an extended period of time."

"An extended period of time?" Her father parroted with brows raised.

"I don't know how long I'll be gone, but I really want to go on this trip Dad." Bulma's voice wavered slightly as she put on her best puppy dog eyes. It always worked whenever she wanted something.

"I just don't think this is a good idea Bulma. You've been sheltered for most of your life and your the heir to the richest company in Chikyu. Who knows what could happen? I think it would be too dangerous for you to go alone."

"Dad I'll be alright." Bulma contested, huffing in a sigh of annoyance. She wasn't a little girl anymore. It was time for her to stretch her wings and embark on her dreams.

"But Bulma it's just not safe," Dr. Brief reiterated once more. If anything were to happen to her he wouldn't be able to live with himself. "You're far too young to be doing this type of thing on your own."

"But _Daaaady_," The teen whined, stomping her foot as she put on her most brittle voice. "You let Tights do this type of stuff, and she was the same age as me." The heiress was referring to her blonde, older sister who had been allowed to go on adventures at sixteen.

"Yes she was," The gray haired scientist agreed "But-"

"But what Daddy?" Bulma questioned, nearly snarling as she cut off her father. It just didn't seem fair!

"But," The Capsule Corp president continued, shrugging off his daughter's interruption. "The world was a much safer place back then."

"The world isn't any more dangerous than it was in the past." Bulma protested as she folded her arms in annoyance. _ Jeez just a little bit of freedom, is that too much to ask for? _

He couldn't help but chuckle at his daughter's admirable determination. A smile tugged on his lips as his eyes met her. She was as proud and strong willed as her elder sister. A fleeting frown, which didn't go unnoticed by Bulma, appeared on his face as he briefly thought of his firstborn child. _I don't want to lose another daughter. _

"Times have changed Bulma, the world isn't the place it used to be." As much as Bulma's father liked to keep up his jovial, care free visage, he could not deny the rapid alterations that were occurring around the world. "You in particular should know this especially after what happened to the Wayne's." The doctor exhaled regrettably at the mention of former business partners.

"I do _know _Dad," The teen's lips quivered, her turquoise eyes threatening to explode in tears, as she thought back to the travesty that had befallen Gotham's richest family. The Wayne's youngest son, Bruce, had been close friends with Bulma until his parents had been brutally murdered before his eyes. Before that day the two had been nearly inseparable, visiting each other whenever their parent's schedules allowed for it. But after that fateful night Bruce had grown cold, and like his emotions, their friendship had slowly withered away.

"But just because something happened to them doesn't mean something will happen to me!" Bulma knew her father had her best interest at heart. All he wanted to do was keep her safe, like any other loving father. But there was a world out there just waiting to be explored. The orange, spherical object she discovered in the storage room only served to foster her curiosity about life outside the Capsule Corps compound.

Rubbing his temples Dr. Brief grabbed the nearest available chair and sat down. There was so much he wanted to tell his daughter but she wasn't privy to such information. Ever since Martha and Thomas' murder Dr. Brief had taken what some might consider excessive steps to secure his family's safety. Heightened round the clock security for the Capsule Corps facility, robotic bodyguards that secretly followed his family everywhere, and just for added measure the gray mustached scientist rarely if ever left his home. Loosing his eldest daughter had only served to heighten his growing concern.

The father daughter duo continued to stare at one another before both breaking out into long sighs.

"Look Dad I understand where you're coming from and I can understand your reasoning," Bulma said as she lowered herself down to one knee in front of her father. The only way she was going to get through to her father was with the language he spoke best; logic. "But you can't keep me cooped up here forever, and regardless of all the steps you've taken danger can still find you."

Dr. Briefs listened with attentive ears as his daughter poured herself out to him. She was right in one regard, danger could still find him anywhere but the steps he had taken would significantly lessen the chances of it getting to him and his family.

"Some of the steps you've taken to protect us have been quite drastic," Dr. Brief's face tensed as he feigned confusion at her words, which only caused the teen to frown. "The robots dad...did you seriously think that I wouldn't notice them?" Silently, under his breath, the man in the lab coat cursed. Sometimes Bulma was just too smart for her own good.

Pulling a pack of cigarettes from his pockets, Bulma's father took a drag as he lit one. "How did you find out?" If his teenage daughter, albeit highly intelligent, could discover them that wouldn't bode well for their potential sales once they hit the market.

"Honestly?" The question was more rhetorical than anything. "I just guessed."

Dr. Briefs face vaulted as the words hit his ears. He had been duped by his daughter. He heard hearty laughter as he slowly lifted himself from the ground, readjusting his clothes as he sat back down. _Well played Bulma...well played. _

"Regardless of what happens I'm still going to go on this trip Dad, I'd just rather do it with your blessing."

Exhaling the smoke from his lungs the Doctor gave brief respite before responding to his daughter. This was his child, his only remaining child as it stood. He wished he could comfortably keep her safe here but he knew this would've happened eventually. She was far too independent and strong willed for it not to.

"You have my blessing Bulma, just be safe."

A buoyant smile spread across her face as she rushed over to embrace her father, locking him in a bone squeezing hug. "Thanks Dad."

* * *

**Age 749 (1999), Mount Paozu**

The bright smile adorning Son Goku's face practically spread from ear to ear as he surveyed his catch. He felt quite proud of himself considering the massive size of the fish that was dangling from his hook. He chuckled as he gave the line one final, powerful tug, dragging the fish from the murky depths of the river.

"What a catch, what a catch!" The Saiyan gleefully chanted to himself as he hauled the bass to his house.

The adolescent had spent the last thirty minutes hunting for his food. The river by his Grandfather's house held an abundance of delicious exotic wildlife. This particular creature that was hauled over his shoulder was just the latest of his grand catches.

"It's going to be so yummy when I eat it. I'll spice it up and put it over a hot fire!" Goku mumbled to himself, practically drooling at the thought of a well cooked fish. "And then I'll -"

His words were left trailing as his ears keyed in on an unusual noise that grew louder as it approached. Turning his head towards it Goku was stunned as he saw an unusual creature rushing towards him at great speeds. The spiky haired child barely had a moment to react as as the monster swerved, missing his befuddled face by mere inches.

Bulma screeched as she quickly recovered from from the near accident. This was a brand new car and it had nearly been ruined by a clueless pedestrian. Grinding her teeth in irritation she peeked out it's window to yell at the child. "Watch where you're going!" she shouted indignantly.

Her words brought the Saiyan out of his momentary stupor causing the child to instinctively protect his fish. "So you're a monster then? Trying to steal my catch from me?" Before the odd looking creature could respond, Goku grabbed it and lifted the beast over his head. "Well you're not gonna take my fish!" With that, he heaved the massive creature, sending it flying several meters away.

Bulma yelped as the strange child sent her car, and her car flying. What exactly had she gotten herself into? And how the hell was this kid so strong?

Grabbing the orange staff from his back, Goku armed himself for any possible counter attack. "Now c'mon and fight!" He shouted, hoisting his staff above his head in a threatening manner. He watched in mild surprise as something, or rather _someone_, emerged from the monster. The person was clearly very startled as it clutched its head shaking in fright as it emerged from the beast's innards.

"Yikes," Goku exclaimed, "now an ugly monster emerges from the demon!"

"I'm not ugly!"

_Dad warned me about this kind of stuff. I have to protect myself!_

Unwilling to take another risk, Bulma pulled a revolver from her hip. The spiky haired boy cocked his head in curiosity at what it was before Bulma fired. "I won't let you hurt me!" Bulma's hand unexpectedly jerked back from the firing, unfamiliar with handling guns as the boy slumped to the ground. _Did I get him?_

The turquoise haired girl was given her response in the form of a tired groan. "Ow!" Goku moaned "What are you? A witch!?" The boy inquired as he slowly lifted himself from the ground. Bulma's body convulsed in absolute terror as she finally realized what she'd done. _I...I...I s-shot a kid...and he's still alive? _Dropping the weapond Bulma slumped to the floor as she tried to wrap her head around all this.

"Wh-what are you!?" She stammered. "Why aren't you dead!?"

The Saiyan scoffed as he finally hopped back onto his feet, dropping into a fighting stance. "Ha! Do really think you can hurt me? With little attacks like that?" Hoisting his staff once more, Goku prepared to charge at his attacker. "You won't get away with this!"

"W-wait a minute!" Bulma managed to stutter before the wild haired boy could follow through with the attack. "I'm not a demon! I'm a human!" She pleaded as she frantically waved her hands.

Goku's brows rose as he halted mid-swing. "A human?" He repeated. "Really?"

"Yes silly," Bulma assured him, putting on her friendliest demeanor in hopes to coerce the boy. "I'm just like you. Just look at me."

"Don't make a move!" Goku ordered as he inquisitively eyed the girl, circling round her from every angle. He had never seen another human being outside of his Grandfather.

"Not very trusting are you?" Bulma mumbled dryly. But then again she gave him no reason to be.

Goku either didn't hear her words or choose to ignore them as he circled the heiress several more times, examining her from top to bottom. "You're kinda like me," Goku conceded, furrowing his brow in slight confusion. "But there's something different about you. You seem kinda... curvier"

"Well duh, genius!" Bulma sarcastically retorted, no longer able to keep the condescending tone out of her voice. "That's because you're a grubby little jungle boy and I'm a beautiful girl." She stated proudly, batting her eyes in a sauntering manner.

Goku's eyes expanded to the size of saucers at the mention of that word. "G-girl!?" He stuttered. "You mean... female?"

"Uh, yeah! Surely you've seen a girl before?" Bulma scoffed, rolling her eyes at the perplexed child.

"Nope I've never met or seen one but my Grandpa told me to be nice if I did"

"Your Grandfather was a smart man" The young girl smirked as she stood up, straightening her clothes as she brushed a few loose strands of blue hair from her face.

"So girl don't have tails huh?" Goku asked, slightly disappointed as he eyed her from behind.

Bulma raised a questioning eyebrow at the boy's odd statement. _What the heck is he talking about? _

As Goku began to inspect her rear, she suddenly caught a glimpse of a furry, brown appendage freely swinging from his behind. _H-he...he has a tail! _The girl mentally shrieked as she pointed an accusing finger towards him.

"Y-y...you have a tail!"

"Of course I do, all boys have tails." Goku indignantly replied, cheerfully pointing to his. "My Grandpa told me so."

"Boys don't have tails...you're one strange kid." Bulma said, shaking her head in disbelieve as Goku turned his attention towards her toppled car. _Just what has his grandfather been feeding him? _

Having lost interest in trying to locate the girl's non-existent tail, Goku turned his attention towards the beast that had attacked him."So what was that monster anyway?" He asked, pointing in the car's general direction. "How did you catch it?"

Bulma's sighed, folding her arms over her chest. This kid just kept getting weirder and weirder. "It's called a car," She explained. "People like my Dad make then."

Without uttering another word, the boy promptly jumped on top of the vehicle. "So this is a car?" Goku said as he inspected the new discovery. "Grandpa told me about them, but until today I had never seen one. It looks tough, but it ain't much." Goku stated as he hopped up and down on it's hood. From the stories he'd heard he'd pictured them being a lot heavier. Suddenly, the boy stopped, turning as a question popped into his mind "Since you drive a car you're from one of the big cities right?"

"Yep, you got it." The heiress curtly replied, watching the boy's eyes light up like Christmas trees.

"Wow! How bout you come over to my place while I cook you lunch and you tell me all about it?" Goku offered as he hopped off the car, walking over to his catch of the day.

Bulma stopped, giving it brief respite before finally agreeing. It wasn't like she had anything better to do at the moment. "Sure why not." She finally replied with a shrug.

Hauling the massive fish over his shoulder with Bulma following his lead, the duo began the short trek towards his house. Unbeknownst to them, this was beginning of a life long friendship that would help determine the fate of the world.

* * *

**Age 749 (1999), Smallville**

Clark was scared. No, scared didn't adequately describe the pulsing emotion that was coursing throughout his trembling, huddled body. With his knees pressed against his chest, the twelve year sniffled as he suppressed his tears. He didn't mean for it to happen, he honestly didn't. He just...he just finally snapped. There was only so much a person could take.

Earlier in the day, during recess Clark had being doing what he usually did; hanging out alone. He was a loner, a perceived weirdo, a designated outcast by the student population. He just couldn't seem to connect with his classmates and peers. All throughout elementary school until present day their was a distance between him and everyone else. Clark couldn't quite put his finger on it, but he knew he was different from everybody else.

While they played tag, he stared at the clouds. They played video games and he played with scientific formulas. His intelligence only served to broaden that gap between him and his classmates. It was for that reason that Clark chose to be quiet, to be alone, not to attract attention to himself. Unfortunately that backfired on him and instead made him the target of bullies. They perceived his calculated withdrawal as a sign of arrogance and snobbishness, using it as fuel to pick on him.

Two people in particular took great pleasure in inflicting pain on Clark. Wade Mahaney and Whitney Fordman bullied Clark on a daily basis. It didn't matter where he was or what he did, they always had their targets set on him. At lunch they knock his food tray down, in class they would shoot spitballs at him, and at recess they would beat him up while certain, inattentive, teachers looked away. He never reported or told on his bullies, it would only increase the bullying and besides, his wounds somehow always healed before he got home.

But today Whitney and Wade had gone too far. Their bullying tactics had been routine as usual, pushing him off the swings, kicking and punching him...the same old same old. But what had been different was the fact that someone finally decided to get involved. Lana Lang, a newly transferred student from the next town over had seen enough. Bravely jumping into the fray the young girl had attempted to push the bullies away from Clark. What happened next was main reason why Clark was sitting outside the principle's office.

Wade had gone into a blind furry, striking Lana repeatedly as he shoved her aside. Whitney paused briefly, surprised at his friend's actions but did nothing to stop them. That was Clark's breaking point. He could withstand the punishment but another person getting hurt because of him, he wouldn't stand for it. At that moment Clark snapped, blacking out as he finally fought back for the first time. The last conscious thing he remembered was punching Wade in the face, everything after that was a complete blur.

Three teachers had been forced to break up the fight. Clark had not only beaten up Wade and Whitney, but he had dislocated their jaws in several places. Blood had been sprayed across Clark's fists, drawn from the teeth he had punched out of their mouths. His peers had always viewed him as an outcast, but now they feared him. Both boys had been rushed to the hospital, their parents called, as Clark was pulled into the principle's office. All in all it had been a shitty day. He just wanted to defend Lana, but he ended up seriously hurting Whitney and Wade and getting himself into a boatload of trouble as well.

"Alright principle I'll make it doesn't happen again."

Clark's ears perked up at the voice of his father as the door to the principle's office flew open. Gulping, Clark's eyes made contact with his father's. He knew that look. He was in a serious amount of trouble. Hopping off the bench he closely followed his father as they exited the building, leaving Smallville junior high behind them. Not a world was spoken between the two as they entered Jonathan's red truck. Unable to bear the silence any further Clark finally spoke up.

"I'm sorry Dad!" The raven haired boy cried out as buckled himself into the backseat. Disappointing his parents was the thing he despised the most.

Exhaling, Jonathan started the car as the exited the parking lot. He didn't know where to start.

"Look Clark I'm not angry with you," Jonathan soberly began.

"Y-you're not?" Clark asked in surprised tone, his voice wavering in shock.

"No, I'm not." Jonathan reassured, adjusting the mirror in the front seat. "I know it wasn't your fault."

"You do?" Clark parroted once more. "But it was Dad it was my fault that Lana got hurt if I..."

"No Clark it's not." Jonathan replied. "It's those bullies fault. You had the right to stand up for yourself and for Lana. You should never be afraid to stand up for what's right."

"But I sent Wade and Whitney to the hospital." Clark contested as he stared down at his shaking palms. He wasn't able to control himself.

"Sure you went a little overboard son," Truthfully Jonathan was perfectly fine with the force Clark had used, but he didn't want his son to be dependent on violence. "But in the end what you did was right. You just need to show a bit more restraint Clark."

"I don't know what came over me Dad. One second I was fine and then the next...the next I was violently lashing out with strength I didn't know I had. This isn't the first time either."

Jonathan's ears perked up at the last bit of his sentence. _He's displayed strength like this before?_

"I'm scared Dad...I don't know what's going on with my body. I'm afraid I'll end up hurting more people like Whitney and Wade."

Having heard enough Jonathan abruptly pulled the car over to the side of the road.

"Son I think it's time I told you about about your origins."

"My origins?" Clark repeated in a completely befuddled tone.

"It's time to tell you where you really came from Clark"

* * *

**Dragonball: DC**

In a void outside of space and time a lone, shadowy, figure hovered in his chair. Idly rubbing his hands together in a thoughtful manner he watched over the planet known as Earth. Glancing over the locations known as Smallville and Mount Paozu, a wry smile spread across his face.

"It has begun."

* * *

**A big thank you to everyone who reviewed chapter 3!**

**Authors Note:**

**[1]: **I strongly debated the idea of what to do with DBZ locations like West City. I initially thought of adding them to pre-existing countries like America, or Japan but at the end of the day I settled on the idea of making them a new country, much like Bialya. The word Chikyu means Earth in Japanese. In terms of population Chikyu is the 4th largest country, with a population of roughly 200 million people. Chikyu looks exactly the way it was shown in Daizenshuu 4, just much smaller.

**[2]: **My explanation for why Chikyu is so different from the rest of the Earth. Based on the brief description I gave, some of you might be able to figure out who was responsible for it.

**[3]:** Most of this information is found in **Daizenshuu #4**. I did some slight alterations to the RRA's origin though.

**[4]:** As I said in the previous chapters this story doesn't take place in any particular DC Universe. I'm using elements from movies, TV shows, comics, videos games, and etc. I borrowed Lionel Luthor's origin from the TV show Smallville.

**[5]: **In Dragonball it was mentioned that Bulma learned about the Dragonballs by reading a book of some kind. It was never expanded upon so I decided to give it an explanation.

* * *

**Q/A:**

**Superiornite: **I actually realized that once I started writing that chapter. I moved the previous chapter to the beginning of the story.

**SaiyaStyles:** I didn't explicitly state it, but the Dragons fall under the entities that were created by the Godwave. "_Out of the Godwave __**various pantheons of gods, and divine entities**__, such as the Kai's were birthed, giving rise to the Third World." _I like your idea though.

**S3rp3nte: **Bills and Whis will appear in this story, but probably not until much later in the story.

**Itheone: **As I said in the above comments, I didn't explicitly mention certain DBZ characters but I did subtly explain their origin. "_Out of the Godwave __**various pantheons of gods, and divine entities**__, such as the Kai's were birthed, giving rise to the Third World." _If you're the writer of the story that places you above anyone else. The relation between the Primal Monitor and the other entities was never really extrapolated upon, so I wrote them in a manner which made sense to me. With all the hinting I did in the first chapter I thought it would be obvious that Frieza blew up the planet. I moved the previous chapter to the beginning of the story.

**Presence:** I edited that chapter and included Tori-bot in the creation sequence. As for Bills and Whis, see above. Yes, the DC and DBZ Multiverse are fused together in this story.

**Guest:** I don't really understand what your question is


	5. The Monkey and The Eagle I

_Thoughts_

"Speech"

**Disclaimer: DC and DBZ belong to their respective owners; I own nothing. **

**Chapter 5: The Monkey and The Eagle**

* * *

**Age 749 (1999), Mount Olympus**

"Do you really think it's wise to allow mortals to have access to power such as this?"

"Are you questioning my judgment Apollo?" Zeus, skyfather of the Olympians questioned as he turned to his son sitting directly across the table.

"N-No father I was simply trying to..." The plum skinned god began, quivering under his father's stern gaze.

"Forgive him father he knows not what he speaks," Athena interrupted, silencing her brother as she cut him off. "What I believe he was inquiring about is why you are so trusting of these mortals."

"Are you not the Goddess of wisdom _sister_? Shouldn't you be the one telling us?" Ares snidely remarked as he folded his arms together. His comment did as expected, causing his sibling to flash him a look of absolute annoyance. Before the Goddess of reason could retort with a chide remark of her own she was silenced by Hera's palm slamming into the table.

"Enough!" The Goddess of marriage shouted as she refocused the room's attention on her. The Olympians had initiated this meeting to discuss what would be done about the collection of the Dragonballs on Earth. So far all that had ensued was bickering and arguing amongst them.

"You may be my husband and father of all Olympians but you do not speak for us all Zeus," The slayer of Titans grumbled at this...his wife was once again attempting to subvert his authority. "What do you think these mortals will do once they've assembled all seven of them?"

"I don't know," Zeus apathetically shrugged. "But whatever it is...it's no concern of mine."

"But it will be if they decide to bring back the Titans? Or what about that prophecy concerning Athena? Or the one concerning..."

"Silence wench!" The king of the Olympians screamed, lightening crackling at his fingertips as he pointed accusingly at his spouse. "Just what are you getting at Hera?"

"Do any of us here truly know the full capabilities of these Dragonballs?"

A string of "no's" echoed across the table as the gods shook their heads.

"We were lucky the last time they were used. The greatest aspiration some foolish mortal had was simply to be a king. But what of now? What will they decide to do with that seemingly unlimited power? With one wish all of this" Hera said pointing to Mount Olympus in the backdrop. "Could be gone."

"But these mortals don't even know of us anymore. These days we're nothing but mere myths to them." Artemis contested unwilling to believe the Dragons power would be used in such in manner.

"Weren't the Dragonballs a myth as well sister?" Apollo retorted, raising a brow at his twin. The moon Goddess fell silent as she made eye contact with her brother...he was indeed right.

"So what are you all suggesting then?" Zeus inquired once more, now pondering his previous decision. Placing trust in these mortals wouldn't be wise at all.

"We keep an eye on these mortals of course." Strife spoke up as she emptied her second glass of wine down her throat. "You wouldn't dare allow these _mortals_ to threaten your reign father...would you?" A sly smirk settled on her face as she viewed the skyfather's facial expression twist.

"No I will not." The father of the Olympians responded with a frown.

"I believe our course of action is simple then father...we send one of our own to collect the Dragonballs, never allowing these mortals the opportunity to even make such a wish." Ares, the god of war, spoke all attention on the room shifting towards him as he rose from his chair. "Who better than us to control such power?"

"But who shall we send?" Athena asked, already suspicious of her brother's idea. Ares would never hesitate at the chance to gain more power.

"Oh pick me! Pick me!" Strife shouted as she frantically waved her hands in the air. "I promise I'll be nice."

"Never." Hera's eyes rolled at her daughter's childish antics.

"I agree my Queen." Zeus seconded her motion. Strife would do more harm than good for this assignment.

"Then who father?" Ares questioned, the scheming smile on his face shrouded by his helmet.

"The Amazons."

"The Amazons?" Hera repeated incredulously. "You would leave the fate of the gods in the hands of mortals?"

"Is that not why you had them created Hera? Is their very existence not to worship us?"

"It is," Hera began. "But this is a task far beyond them. You have that much faith in our creations?"

"Oh I think it's much more than _faith _which father posses for the Amazons." Strife chuckled as she gulped down another glass of alcohol.

The slick comment did not go unnoticed by her father. "Silence Strife...know who you speak to!" The god of thunder was particularly incensed by what his daughter was implying. She was one of the few who knew his secret. "As king of the gods my decision is final!"

The throne room shuddered as thunder boomed down from heavens, streaking across the skies.

"This meeting is adjourned." **[1]**

* * *

**Age 749 (1999), Themyscira **

Themyscira.

Paradise Island.

Home of the Amazons.

Ruled by Queen Hippolyta the hidden nation was as titled, a virtual paradise. Created and blessed by the gods themselves Themyscira was like no other place on Earth. Concealed far away from the scornful world of man the homeland of the Amazons was a heaven on Earth. But to create that heaven the island's inhabitants had gone through hell to get there. It was their contact with man's world that had brought about it all.

Thousands of years ago on the Olympus worry had seeped into the hearts of the gods. Their worshipers had dwindled, prayers slowed, temples desecrated. In short terms the gods were loosing their dominion over the Earth. The Olympians powers were directly tied to the belief and faith of their followers. If all forms of worship completely ceased it spelled the end of their reign and their existence. They would be as powerless as the old gods were now.

To combat this the gods decided to create a new race to once again inspire worship amongst the mortals. This new race, the Amazons, would lead the future of the gods, shining as a hopeful beacon to mankind. The only two gods who stood against this idea were Ares and Strife. Their powers were directly based on discord and violence. In a peaceful world, what would become of them? Adamant against the idea the sister and brother did their best to subvert the it, but to no avail.

The Amazons were created anyways.

Pooling the slain souls of women from across centuries the Amazons were formed and given life. Blessed by the gods the Amazons were to lead humanity by their virtuous example. For a time things were great. Ruled by their Queen Hippolyta the Amazons prospered sheltered away from the vices and evils of man. But Ares, ever spiteful, would not allow them peace. With the help of his sister Ares managed to sway the heart of the Earth's greatest champion at the time; Hercules.

Swaying his already prideful mind with delusions of grandeur the sister and brother convinced Hercules to conquer the Amazons. What greater conquest could there be than a race of women who had been unsoiled by any man? Doing as suggested the Demigod lead his armies to location of the Amazons, as given by Strife. Meeting Queen Hippolyta in a contest of arms the Demigod lost. Much to his army, and the Amazons surprise, Hercules simply laughed it off and accepted the Amazons as equals.

Later, that night, a bountiful feast was prepared as Amazons and Hercules army mingled with one another. New found camaraderie was the reason for the celebration, but Hercules had other plans in mind. Catching Hippolyta alone in her chamber he managed to drug her. Her trusting acceptance was met with backstabbing betrayal. The rest of Hercules men followed suit and drugged the rest of the Amazons.

When the Amazons awoke they found themselves bound and shackled. Several of them being taken advantage of while unconscious. Hercules in particular was especially cruel. The son of Zeus forced her fellow Amazons to watch as he took Hippolyta's body over and over again. Her pleas and cries only serving to further his perverted madness. Tormented and totally humiliated Hippolyta desperately cried out to her gods in her time of need. They answered.

Providing Hippolyta with the strength she needed the Queen freed herself and helped lead the charge against Hercules and his men. Without their deceiving methods the armies of Hercules were easily defeated. Never again the Amazons vowed. Never again would the Amazons be held captive by the hands of men. Granted the solitude they craved, Paradise Island was created for the Amazons pleasure. Never again would the filth of man's world seep into their lives. Even though Ares had failed in his attempt to destroy the Amazons, he had still managed to create the bloodshed he so greatly craved. **[2]**

* * *

**Age 749 (1999), Themyscira, Paradise City**

"You'll have to do better than that Aleka!" Diana shouted as she narrowly evaded a sword slash from the fiery red head.

Watching the sword clang against the ground Diana took that split second to strike. Dashing forward at great speeds Diana charged towards Aleka with her sword outstretched. Raising her blade as quickly as she could Aleka attempted to block the incoming assault. The red head was greatly surprised as Diana's right foot swatted her arm away. Stumbling, slightly disoriented, Aleka attempted to balance herself. She was never properly given the opportunity as Diana's foot swept below her, promptly knocking her to the ground. With a loud groan the large Amazon slowly opened her eyes to the sight of a blade's tip dangling in her face.

"Yield."

Scowling in absolute disgust at the situation Aleka begrudgingly conceded. "I yield."

"Good." With a cocky smirk still plastered on her face Diana sheathed her sword as she stooped down to assist her fellow sister to her feet.

"That was an excellent job Diana I'm very proud of you." Both combatants attentions shifted to the familiar voice of the new comer; Diana's mother. Clapping as she descended down the empty stadium's front steps, the Queen of the Amazons strode towards her child.

"My Queen." Dropping to their knees both adolescents took a bow as their liege approached them.

Sighing as she advanced towards them Hippolyta waved the children off."How many times have I told you that's unnecessary Diana?"

"Several times mother," Her mother hated being greeted in such a manner. Sure Hippolyta was the Queen but she didn't feel the need to be addressed as such at all times. "But regardless you're still the Queen and as such it is required of me."

"Well then rise my daughter." Hippolyta said with a smile as she tapped her daughter's shoulder ushering her to stand. "Aleka you may do the same."

Standing to her feet the still disgruntled redhead frowned as she watched mother and daughter embrace one another. _Favoritism as usual_.

"What brings you here though mother? Didn't you and Phillipus have work to attend to?" Diana inquired as she broke the embrace. She was always happy to see her mother but this was particularly curious.

"Oh...of course," Hippolyta remarked as she lightly palmed her forehead. "We were delegating over preparations for you birthday. I can't believe my little one is turning twelve already."

"Mooooooom" Diana groaned as her mother began pinching her cheeks. "Not in front of Aleka. We're on the battlefield." The raven haired girl pouted, silently fuming as she crossed her arms together.

"But even mighty warriors was show respect to their mothers...no?"

"No," Diana began as her mother's bottom lip drooped. "Well yes but...argh...never mind mother."

Hippolyta couldn't help but chuckle at her daughter's frustrated antics.

"But you were saying about my birthday mother?" Diana asked attempting to suppress the redness growing on her face.

"What would you like?" Every year Hippolyta struggled to find gifts to give her daughter. Diana was...eccentric to say the least. For her fifth birthday Hippolyta had given her daughter a stuffed animal made from a griffin's hide. Diana promptly speared it and spent the rest of the year using it as target practice for her arrows.

"I-I...I don't know mother." Diana answered genuinely, confused as to what she wanted. As princess she could have practically whatever she desired...and usually did. What was there to give to a child that basically had everything?

Furrowing her brow Hippolyta placed a hand on her daughter's shoulder. "Well I'm sure you'll think of something."

"Maybe you can get her some tools to sculpt the rest of her _clay_ body." Aleka sneered at she frowned at Diana. It was utterly ridiculous for a being made out of_ clay_ to celebrate a birthday. She wasn't even born...she was molded!

"Shut up!" Diana shouted in rage, her hands trembling as she pointed at Aleka. She despised being referred to by that name.

"But why? Isn't it true? You are clay are you not?" Aleka continued, a cruel grin appearing on her face. "It isn't much of a birthday is it? It should be called a clayday...better yet a sculptday." Breaking into laughter Aleka held her sides as her voice grew louder.

"Aleka that's enough." Hippolyta chided, watching Diana grow more visibly angered. In truth none of Aleka's insults were true...but Diana could never be allowed to discover that.

"I'm not even sure you can be considered human."

"I said...shut up!"

"Is clay even capable of having emotions?"

"I said...**shut up**!"

That was the final straw. Diana was unable to bear anymore of Aleka's cruel remarks. The red head knew just how much Diana despised that nickname. It was the name her former bullies tormented her with during her younger years. She'd reached her boiling point. In a microsecond Diana's fist was buried in Aleka's face. Before Queen Hippolyta could even blink the redhead's skull was against the concrete.

"No...Diana stop!"

Hippolyta's cry for mercy went unheard as Diana continued her brutal assault. Fist after fist rained down upon Aleka's face. The redhead attempted to protect herself but was unable to, due to the blistering pace of the punches. Jab after hellacious jab impacted her face hitting her nose, cheeks, eyes, lips and mouth. Blood began to seep from Aleka's pores but Diana continued, not batting an eye, as her fists became soaked in it, seemingly not even noticing the red liquid.

"Diana that's enough!" Snatching her daughter's hand before the next blow could land, Hippolyta attempted to pull her off Aleka. "Stop or you'll kill her!"

Hippolyta's words seemed to do the trick as Diana's other fist quickly retracted, her head shaking as she awoke from her enraged trance. "D-d-did I...oh Hera!" Gasping as she viewed the blood on her trembling hands Diana let out a horrified shriek. _I-I did this? Is Aleka right? What's wrong me?_

Nearly breaking into tears the adolescent picked herself up as she examined the full results of her actions. "I-I'm so sorry I didn't mean for any of this to happen," Glancing over to her Mother Diana broke into a fit of tears as she viewed the ashamed look on her face. "I-It's all my fault...Aleka was right about me!"

"No Diana don't!" Hippolyta pleaded as her daughter jetted out of the coliseum, but by then her daughter was long gone, her silhouette having already disappeared into the nearby forest. Rubbing her temples as she sighed the Queen stooped down to Aleka who lay unconscious on the floor. She was breathing...just_ barely_...but she was breathing. Aleka had a keen knack for enraging her daughter. She knew just how much Diana despised her association with clay. Inadvertently this was all Hippolyta's fault. This incident could've been prevented if her daughter simply knew her true origin.

_Maybe it's time I tell her the truth...the whole truth. She deserves to know. _

* * *

**The Aegean Sea**

"Are you sure this is the right place Bulma?"

"Well it's what the radar says." Furrowing her brows in confusion as she lifted her gaze from the scouter to misty seas, Bulma frowned. Could the calibration system be broken? It was a possibility but thus far on their adventures her device had yet to fail them. So what exactly was the problem then? With a prolonged sigh the genius heiress halted the boat's engine. She needed to figure this out before they moved any further.

It had been two months since Dr. Brief's daughter began her mission to locate the Dragonballs. So far everything had gone smoothly. During that time span the Capsule Corps heiress had managed to locate three Dragonballs. She had also met some interesting characters along the way, particularly Master Roshi. Everything had been figuratively and literally smooth sailing up until this point. But for some reason the Dragon radar appeared to be malfunctioning now.

"Maybe it's in the Ocean?" Goku offered as his eyes darted around the seemingly endless stretch of water. There was nothing as far as his gaze could see.

"No," Bulma replied shaking her head. If that were the case the radar's arrow would have been pointing downward. "It keeps poiting eastward but there's nothing there." The teen's frustration was beginning to mount. She and Goku had spent the last hour drifting at sea in search of this particular Dragonball; to no avail. "Stupid radar!"

Goku could sense the agitation growing from Bulma. Nothing good ever happened when she got angry. The Saiyan had witnessed it, first hand, when she'd discovered he'd accidentally stolen her panties. Her response had been quick and violent, firing several rounds of shells from her MAC-11. At least on land there was somewhere he could escape to, but at sea if she decided to become volatile there wouldn't be much he could do.

"How bout I go take a look around?" The Saiyan asked, his tail wagging ceaselessly in nervousness.

"I'm not sure what good that would do considering there's nothing around," Bulma snarikly replied, her hands outstretching towards the water that surrounded them at all ends. "But sure, why not? It probably wouldn't hurt anyways." It would at least give her some to analyze the radar and see if anything truly was wrong with it.

Nodding at her words the spiky haired adolescent whistled as he beckoned for his golden chariot Nimbus. Perking up as she watched the golden cloud approach the boat Bulma frowned. She was still annoyed that she'd been unable to ride it. She had the purest heart of anyone she knew, or so she thought. But Goku had obviously proven her wrong.

"I promise I won't take too long." With a parting wave the Saiyan hopped upon his trusty steed and took off into the sky, leaving Bulma to watch the golden streak as it finally faded into obscurity.

* * *

**The Hillsides of Themyscira**

This was Diana's escape. Anytime she felt burdened, overwhelmed, crushed by the weight of the world, she escaped here to be alone and think. And now more than ever did she thank the gods that she had never disclosed this location to her mother. Located on the far side of the island, overlooking one of the nearby beaches, the hillside directly faced the Aegean sea. It was a breathtaking view and as always, displayed the grandeur of the very gods Diana worshiped.

But Diana was in no mood to worship or pray. She was still reeling over her actions against Aleka. How could see have done that to one of her sisters? Sure, Aleka knew how to push her buttons and enrage her but never once had she gone _this _far. She had finally snapped. All she could think of at that very moment was inflicting as much pain as possible upon the red head.

_I pray Aleka forgive for what I have done. _

Fighting and violence were norms of Themysciran society. Training and battle were always going on. Since Hercules invasion Queen Hippolyta had vowed never to be caught by surprise again. It was highly unlikely that any man would ever walk across Themysciran lands, it was also forbidden, but in the unlikely scenario that it happened the Amazons would be ready. But never during these battles had one Diana's sisters been brought to the brink of death. That's what made her actions so baffling.

What was even more confusing was how easily she had pummeled Aleka. After their encounter with Hercules the Amazons had been blessed by the gods. They possessed strength far beyond any male, Athena herself had ensured it. Defeating an Amazon was possible, albeit hard to do. But flat out beating one to a pulp was something that had never happened in Diana's lifetime. Diana had always been strong but the strength that had coursed through her veins during her skirmish was otherworldly, dare she say, godly even.

Glancing at her still trembling hands Diana pondered what she was becoming. What if Aleka was right? No Amazon would've done what she did to her fellow sister. Could she even be considered mortal after being carved out of clay? She was forever grateful that the gods had created her, but the dilemma of her humanity forever plagued her mind. Truly, what was she? No other Amazon or mortal shared her origin so how could she claim to be either one? She was formed of clay and blessed by the gods so she couldn't claim godhood as well. As usual she was stuck between a rock and hard place.

Sobbing into her knees the princess pondered what course of action to take next. She couldn't stay here forever. Eventually she would have to return to the palace or the royal guards would search for her. What a truly awful way to begin her birthday week. Her mother would surely be disappointed with her and rightfully so. All she wanted to do now was get away, run, and be alone.

_Oh Hera why must I always be the freak? Look at what I've done to Aleka! If only I could..._

Diana's reverie was shattered as she heard a loud whizzing sound slice through the air. Lifting her head from between her knees the princesses ears perked up as the noise grew louder and louder. _What is that?_ Rising to her feet Diana squinted as the sound drew near. Her eyes expanded to the length of a saucer as she saw a golden cloud approaching the hillside from a distance. What most surprising was the thing, rather person riding upon it. _A male!_ From stories her mother had told her Diana quickly put two and two together.

_It has been centuries since a man dared approach our lands. Who would dare have the gall? _Frowning Diana watched as the cloud streaked closer. What were his intentions? How did he find their island? Did he wish to attack? At the thought of another possible attack Diana's body tensed. She would take no such chance. Uprooting a nearby tree the princess heaved it over her shoulder, positioning herself to throw it. Thrusting forward with the posture of an archer, Diana launched it at the unsuspecting male.

_May Phillipus training not fail me now._

* * *

**A big thank you to everyone who reviewed chapter 4!**

**Authors Note: **I have a new poll on my profile please vote on it and tell me what you think.

**[1]: **I went with a mix of the New 52 and Post Crisis versions of the like Ares have retained their Post Crisis appearance and disposition.

**[2]: **I went with a slightly altered version of the George Perez Amazon origin.

* * *

**Q/A:**

**Aztec 13: **I can't say what I will or will not be including in this story since I'll be pulling from multiple Universes. No spoilers on fusion. I actually mentioned Tights in the previous chapter. As to whether or not she'll be appearing in this story...you'll just have to read and find out.

**Itheone: **None of your guesses are right lol...but good try though.

**Guest:** I'll update it eventually.

**tarrangar: **I will neither confirm nor deny whether Tights is dead or alive...you'll just have to read and find out. Akira Toriyama never gave an explanation as to what happened to her, so I made my own. Not sure where you're getting this body double thing from when I made no mention of it.


	6. The Monkey and The Eagle II

_Thoughts_

"Speech"

**Disclaimer: DC and DBZ belong to their respective owners; I own nothing.**

**Chapter 6: The Monkey and The Eagle II**

* * *

**Outskirts of Themyscira**

There was absolutely nothing better than flying.

If there was anything the beaming child knew; it was this.

Skirting just a foot above the Aegean sea, the Saiyan grinned as he somersaulted in the air. Behind him, jets of water spewed forth, seemingly giving chase, as the adopted son of Gohan accelerated further. The amused boy had been doing this for the past few minutes. Just when it appeared the water was close enough to engulf him the Saiyan would rise, rocketing towards the heavens as the waves subsided, coalescing back into the ocean. The thrill was what got him each time.

His original mission, had, somewhat faded into the recesses of his mind. He was having too much fun with this. Who could blame him? It was only days earlier that he had received the Nimbus cloud from Master Roshi. The lecherous sage had given it away without much thought. To him it was an old relic he could no longer ride, due to his now perverted mind. But to the young Saiyan it had been the greatest gift in the world. Unlike Bulma Goku possessed no technology which could grant him the ability of flight like the majestic Eagles he so greatly adored.

But the mystical cloud had changed all of that.

"It's so beautiful today." Inhaling the salts of the sea as he stretched, Goku merrily exhaled."And poor Bulma's all cooped up on that ship. She should get out and..."

The Saiyan's words were left trailing indefinitely as a sharp whizzing noise fractured his train of thought. Quickly resetting his gaze from the ocean the Saiyan observed a rather large oak tree speeding across the skies. _Odd_. Squinting with perturbed eyes Goku's mouth gaped as a sudden epiphany jolted his mind. It was headed towards him! With brows jouncing up in shock and panic, the adolescent quickly realized he only had seconds to spare. Reacting with a grace that often baffled Bulma the Saiyan managed to dodge the well aimed projectile, curving Nimbus to the side as it blew past him, tumbling into the ocean.

Resting his hands on his still rapidly palpitating chest, the Saiyan exhaled. It was over, or so he thought. But before he could even glance back up the whizzing sound bombarded his ears once more. There were more of them? He received his answer in the form of a gut wrenching strike to the stomach, the air being knocked out of his lungs as he tumbled off his golden steed. A distance away, hidden far from his sight, a tunic clothed girl fist pumped. Her small celebration was immediately brought to an end as the Saiyan's magical steed caught him, securing him before he could slam into the waters of the Aegean sea. Unfettered, the girl pressed onward, even more determined.

Goku's eyes lit up like Christmas trees as he viewed an array of hastily approaching trees headed in his direction. There were at least six of them this time. The last one had truly stung. He hadn't been struck like that in a while. Hopping to his feet atop the cloud, the Saiyan realized the precarious situation he was in now. With their speed, and overwhelming numbers it was unlikely he could evade them all. However, he had done the impossible before- he would take his chances. Dashing forward, head first, like always, the Saiyan pounced. Arms winding into complete blurs the adolescent managed to splinter the first set of projectiles, slicing them into neat blocks of wood.

The next set of trees were dodged, _narrowly_. By the skin of his teeth the Saiyan managed to sway out of their way, his torso bending inhumanly as he ducked and swiveled. Approaching the final set of trees Gohan's adopted son simply hopped over them, soaring into the sky with one astounding leap. Floating back down gracefully as Nimbus caught him, the Saiyan set his sights on their origin point. His eyes darted quickly, but found nothing. Endless expanses of water surrounded him, but how could that be? He nearly gave into a frustrated sigh but halted immediately as he saw another tree soaring through the air. However, this one, unlike the others, didn't have anywhere near the same distance. It was obvious it had just been launched.

Shooting froward like a freshly ejected cannonball the Saiyan surged towards the tree. There was still nothing to be seen for miles, but it was now obvious that _something_ was there. Even Goku could figure that out. Placing complete trust in his instincts the son of Bardock unstrapped the orange pole from his back. _I've got you now!_ Gripping it tightly as he neared collision with the projectile the boy uttered his favorite phrase.

"Power Pole extend!"

* * *

**The Aegean Sea**

Bulma was annoyed.

It was both amazing, and ironic, how such a small word could encapsulate the vast assortment of emotions coursing through her very being. The damnable device she had built was faltering. Despite all her attempts to adjust any possible malfunctions, the dragon radar persisted in giving incorrect directions. Did her father ever suffer through periods like this? Ones where he felt the need to literally claw his eyes out at his continued failures? She was a genius, a prodigy, the progeny of the world's greatest scientist- so why couldn't she figure it out? She had built the damn thing after all.

Rubbing her stressed temples Dr. Brief's daughter sighed. She was beginning to get frustrated. Scratch that she was beyond it, her levels of vexation could give new meaning to the term. The lavender haired girl was sure unknown forces had collaborated to bring her to her wit's end today. It was a stroke past noon and the sun was bearing down on her. Bulma enjoyed the sun occasionally, bathing in it's rays during her semi-annual tans. But the heiress did not enjoy sweltering heat, so great, that was enough to make her boat's metallic steering wheel a hazard to hold.

The teen could see why some people became deranged at sea. It was easy, simple actually. Being surrounded by nothing but endless stretches of sapphire waters had been breathtaking- at first. But after the first thirty minutes of multitudinous tranquility it's luster had quickly worn off. She was a city girl, a big one at that. She relished in the ceaseless sounds of her metropolis. The cars, the trains, the planes-hell, even the ding of the city hall clock. But out here there was nothing. Even Master Roshi's remote island hadn't been this silent. At the very least it featured the familiar sounds of birds cawing. But amidst the Aegean seas, there was none of that. There wasn't an avialae in sight. It was like she had stumbled into a dead zone.

To top it all off her partner, Goku, was being as lethargic as possible. By his own words he had sworn not to take long. It had now been an hour since then and she was still eagerly awaiting his return. The furry tailed adolescent had no shortage of energy. She had nearly been forced to staple the sprightly Saiyan to the deck to halt him from bouncing all over the ship. He regularly displayed feats akin to a human energizer bunny.

So what was taking him so long?

It wasn't like he had somehow discovered the location of the next Dragonball, he hadn't even bothered to take the radar along with him. Whatever the hold up was; it had better be good. Any half assed excuse from him would result in a beat down that eclipsed the hail of bullets he'd received when he'd stolen her panties. Blushing slightly, in thought at the embarrassment, the lavender haired girl glanced back down to the radar in her lap. It was still pointing eastward.

Gritting her teeth in annoyance, her hands nearly threatening to rip out strands of her peculiar hair, the teen decided against it as a sudden thought popped into her head. During her melodramatic whining the teenager had failed to notice the other blips on the radar's map. It showcased several other locations within her vicinity. There were three of them in fact, one for the each of the Dragonballs she had stashed on board. Noting that, it gave raise to the question now plaguing her mind. Was that eastward location correct as well then?

There was only one way to truly find out.

Igniting the boat's engine Bulma injected the ship with life once more. It appeared she would have to do this on her own.

* * *

**The Throne Room, Themyscira **

Queen Hippolyta was troubled.

Never, since her captivity at the hands of Hercules had the Amazon felt so burdened. Her mind felt saddled with the weight of the world. Shrouded by darkness on all ends the Queen sat in complete silence. The shadows were both befitting and symbolic of the lies she had cloaked herself with all these years. Who knew one little romp with a certain god would lead to all this? In truth she had known full well of the potential consequences. Tales of calamitous unions had been repeatedly drummed into her but she had ignored them all.

She thought it would be different. She was special, unique. An extraordinary rosebud in the eye of the god that had stolen her heart. _It had all been lies. _How foolish she had been to believe the words that had departed from the lips of a _man_, albeit one that she was required to worship. His words had been like nectar, intoxicating her with emotions she had long conceded as being dead. But it had felt _so _good. Even now as she lay in her throne shivers trickled down her spine just recounting their brief union. The tenderness of his lips as they bared down upon on her eager flesh, the breathless cries of pleasure, the hungry devourment of her body as it quivered in ecstasy.

"Oh Hera!" Quickly clamping her mouth shut, the Queen realized that was the last goddess' name she should have been uttering. If the matriarch of the Olympians ever discovered that unholy union, her subjects wrath would be the least of her worries.

Hippolyta was the ultimate hypocrite. For all her preachings about the evils of men, their ways, and their desires- she had ultimately succumbed to one. It was a secret sin that no one, save herself and the god involved, knew about. And of all the gods it had to be Zeus, the father of them all. Had it been Hermes, Eros even, or simply one of the kinder hearted gods it might not have been so bad. But Hippolyta had chosen to mate with epitome of male chauvinism.

How could she stand before her loyal subjects, tainted and still be fit to rule as Queen? How could she pray to very god who's marriage she had sullied? How could she look her daughter in the eye and inform her that her entire life was a lie? How could she tell Aleka that she had been inadvertently been beaten because of her liege's lies? Speaking of the red head she was recovering swiftly in the isle of healing. Her injuries had been horrifying, but luckily, not to the extent Hippolyta had previously feared.

_I must be truthful_. Resting her hands on her chin in a thoughtful pose Queen of the Amazons sighed. Truly, heavy was the head that bore the crown. Revealing the ignominious origins of her daughter's birth would bring great shame upon the Amazons and possibly incite the wrath of the gods. But continuing with this specious facade would destroy her daughter emotionally. Diana would be crushed to learn of true conception of her birth but with be sated with the truth, no matter how harrowing it was.

Could she potentially risk her own fate, the faith of the Amazons, and the wrath of her gods to provide her daughter with the closure she so greatly sought? After all the lies she would have to. The truth was inconvenient but necessary. Rising from her throne as she descended down it's steps the Queen left her chambers entering into the bright sunlight of the veranda. There was work to be done.

"Phillipus beckon the guards, I have need of them."

* * *

**The Hillsides of Themyscira **

"Power Pole extend!"

That unusual phrase had brought a with it a world of pain. The princess had been taken back as the blunt end of an orange staff slammed into her face. She was propelled backwards, skidding several hundred meters along the rocky hillside as the blow struck. With haste, the Amazon rose to her feet her eyes narrowing in anger as she sought her assailant. Landing with a light tumble, the boy, formerly atop the cloud, greeted the Themysciran hillside. His expression had been one of perplexity, glancing around with confused wide eyes, as he surveyed his new surroundings.

Scratching the back of his head in befuddlement the adolescent turned his gaze towards Diana. The Themysciran had been equally confused, angered by his arrival on her homeland's soil. No man was to ever sully their paradise. Spotting her the Saiyan had attempted to spark dialogue between the two, his trademark smile sweeping onto his face. But before for his lips could even utter a syllable Diana had struck.

The princess would take no chances with him. Her mother had been deceived by the cunning words of a man millennia ago, nothing one could say would be of any use to her. Charging at a speed the Saiyan could could only pray to keep up with, she had pounced. A hard right hook to the face sent the spiky haired boy tumbling back. Before he could orient himself and raise his staff to fend off her succeeding blow, the air had been knocked out his lungs, courtesy of a sharp knee to the stomach.

The boy's eyes bulged. His innards throbbing with the pain of one hundred gunshots. Spittle, and an assortment of other liquids spewed forth from his mouth. But even then Diana persisted. The boy was not Aleka, he was not an Amazon, they shared no bonds of sisterhood. As a trespassing male he deserved only punishment. Finishing, with a final roundhouse kick to the head the Amazon promptly knocked the Saiyan off the edge of the hillside. With a final parting glance the Amazon turned her shoulders satisfied with her work, believing she had been victorious.

But how wrong she had been.

Unbeknownst to her the Saiyan's hand had managed to latch onto one of the rocks below the cliff. Goku might have been able to survive a fall from this height but the boy didn't want to take any uncertain chances. Mustering all his strength the adolescent propelled himself from the cliff, springing upwards, finally landing back down on Themysciran glades. With a light tap the boy landed, catching the still back turned Amazon by surprise as he shouted at her.

"Hey!" His booming voice instantly caught her attention, forcing Diana to face him once more. "What was that for? That really hurt you know!" Pouting, the boy animatedly rubbed his still throbbing forehead.

_He survived that? _

Scowling, the princess settled on remedying that. In a flash the Amazon was off in full sprint, charging full steam at the boy once more. But this time the Saiyan was prepared for it. Slamming his staff into the turf the boy extended it, vaulting himself into the air as he hurdled hundred of yards over Diana. Slowing her her stride the princess narrowly evaded the edge of the cliff, slopping mere inches before it. Observing as tiny pebbles tumbled off the ledge the Amazon breathed a sigh on relief. That had nearly been disastrous. Hastily flipping back around her scowl deepened at the sight of the goading male.

With his tongue outstretched, and fingers wagging, Goku teased the Amazon. The princess in return did not take too kindly to this, angrily balling her fist as she stormed towards him once more. Matching her stride the Saiyan mirrored her movement, meeting her halfway across the plain. Fist met magical pole as Goku blocked an overhead strike from the princess. Though he had managed to parry it the Saiyan was still pushed back, knees wobbling under the force of the blow. This was the first time he had met anyone with strength as great as his own.

Breaking the short struggle Goku managed to kick Diana in the stomach, flinging her back in a pained cry. Backpedaling as he gained distance from her the Saiyan twirled his staff. Her strength was equal to, if not greater than his own. This would be the true first challenge Gohan's adopted son would face since leaving Mount Paozu. He was ready for it. From the opposite end of the hillside Diana glared, perturbed as to why the boy was laughing with such glee. As his smile expanded recognition dawned upon her.

The two were evenly matched, more so than Diana had ever been with Aleka. His power was manifest in the blows he had imparted and survived. There was no desisting on Diana's part, she struck with power from every fiber of her body; and he was taking it. She now understood the immense joy the boy felt. It was the jubilation of meeting a worthy advisory. Albeit a detestable male, the Saiyan appeared to share her immense zeal for battle.

Stampeding towards one another with firsts outstretched the two met in understanding, maybe males weren't so different after all.

* * *

**Themyscira **

"The princess truly has a knack for disappearing."

"Indeed sister."

Glancing over the waterfall once more Areto sighed. She had seemingly been at this for hours. Wiping the freshly formed particles of moisture on her brow, the auburn haired Amazon turned to her sister, who was perched on a patch of land facing the opposite end of the gigantic stream.

"As far as my eyes can see...she is not here." Euboea spoke, a hint of weariness in her tone. The large, tunic clothed woman had long grown tired of this prolonged search.

Nearly an hour ago Phillipus had beckoned the royal guards to canvas the island in search of Diana. The princess regularly disappeared, escaping to places unknown for extended periods of time. Her doing so today had not appeared unusual until the Queen had disclosed the reasons behind today's disappearance. Areto couldn't help but lightly chuckle at the beating the princess had given Aleka. Hippolyta's daughter had gone a bit over board, but she could not say it was undeserved. Everyone on the island knew of young Aleka's uncouth mouth.

Splitting the guards into groups Phillipus had organized three search parties. Atla and Dessa were to search the coast. Mala and Persephone were to search the hillsides. And she and Euboea were to scour waterfall along with the surrounding forest. So far their ardent search had brought forth nothing, not even a single trace of the princesses footsteps. Their frustration was beginning to mount. It was evident

in the look Areto gave her sister.

"Diana had better pray our sisters find her first before we do." Areto grumbled. Playing hide and seek with the Queen's daughter had not been on her list of events for the day. "Hera herself will have to come down if this search causes me to miss Iphthime's play."

"Mind your words Areto." Euboea hissed in warning. She shared her sisters frustrations but uttering Hera's name in such a tone was just asking for trouble. "Hopefully our sisters are faring better."

* * *

**The Eastern Coast of Themyscira **

Following the radar's directions the heiress to the Capsule Corporation ended up here, drifting amidst the seas, in front of whatever the device was directing her towards. Her eyes had scanned the waters a hundred times over but still found nothing. The radar wasn't malfunctioning after all, the Dragonballs she had on board were glowing. They only did when in proximity of one of their siblings. There was a Dragonball somewhere nearby. But where exactly?

With a determined glare the lavender haired teen reached over to the boat's glove compartment and pulled out her binoculars. Pressing them to her eyes the heiress took a look. These were not regular binoculars however. Just like the dragon radar Bulma had developed these particular set of binoculars with the capability of detecting the orbs mystical energy. If her eyes alone couldn't get it done, hopefully these could. Turning her head from side to side Bulma scanned once more.

Nothing.

With a frustrated sigh the teen was about to set them down when suddenly something astonishing came into view. Eyes bolting wide open, the girl's mouth gaped as a humungous island suddenly came to sight. _What in the world? _The teen nearly voiced her concerns but halted as the island slowly began to fade, misty clouds now slightly obscuring her view. In seconds the mysterious land would once again be gone. Realizing she had no moment to waste the heiress acted quickly, charging the boat full speed towards the isle. Something about that place was connected to the Dragonballs.

* * *

**The Hillsides of Themyscira **

For the past several minutes Goku and Diana had been engaged in fierce battle. The once lush, green, hillside had been reshaped into a nearly barren wasteland, shredded by the ferocity of their blows. Trees had been uprooted, stones grind to dust as their strikes impacted one another. Neither child held back, their blows raining freely and callously. This was the battle both combatants had longed for.

With battle cries that echoed across Themyscira the two adolescents struck once again. Fist meeting fist as they collided. The ground beneath buckled, slightly, under the tremendous strength of the fighters above it. A small web of fissures crisscrossing across the dirt. Both warriors smiled, the looks on their face one of bliss as they mutually separated, backtracking as they gained distance.

Diana panted, a bead of hot swot rolling down her forehead as she observed her spiky haired foe. He was powerful indeed. In all her short years of training she had yet to encounter a foe such as him. Sure, her younger Amazon sisters provided her with great sparing partners, but they had always been defeated in the end. The princess was now in need of greater challenges. Goku provided just that.

On the opposite end the adopted son of Gohan gleamed as he observed the Amazon catch her breath. He couldn't believe his luck! Her attack had been unwarranted and still greatly confused the Saiyan, but the fight that proceeded it had been well worth it. Who knew girls could be so powerful? Outside of Bulma, Diana was the most strong willed girl he had ever met. But that might not have really been saying much considering he had only met a sparse few of them.

Glancing up at one another, meeting gazes, the children charged once more. Goku arrived first, his legs swiftly gliding across the clearance as he delivered a punch to the Amazon's chest. Diana was stunned, her mouth at a loss as the air receded from it. The following knee to the ribs sent her flying backwards, eventually tumbling to a stop as she awkward slammed into the turf. Quickly recovering the Amazon looked over to her opponent only to find that the strange boy had vanished. His location was finally given away as his shout descended from the sky.

Hastily rolling out of the way Diana narrowly avoided Goku's heavy foot plant, the ground tearing beneath him as he impacted it. Switching gears the Amazon immediately flipped into attack mode, her hands lodging into the ground for support as her legs swooped underneath the Saiyan's. With a surprised cry the adopted son of Gohan crashed into the ground, Diana once again pouncing. Before the Saiyan could react his face was bobbing into the dirt as the Amazon's fists rained down upon him.

Screams of agony rippled throughout the air as intensity of the strikes increased. Diana's knuckles were as jagged knives, stabbing into the fallen adolescents face. The Saiyan had withstood pelting bullets, the trampling of dinosaurs, but not even he was not sure he could survive this much direct punishment much longer. Realizing he had to act quickly the Saiyan did something that completely caught Diana off guard. As the Amazon recoiled to gather strength for her next punch, her lips were brushed by Goku's, the unruly adolescent pressing them against hers.

In an instant Diana's fists dropped, her face changing to the color of a strawberry as she departed from the Saiyan, gaining as much distance as possible from him. The Amazon was stunned, a deer in the headlight look appearing on her face as she contemplated what had just occurred. _D-D-Did that just happen? _The princess feigned disgust, her lips curling into a dour frown but different emotions churning inside her. She was revolted that a_ male _had forced his mouth upon her own, but she could not deny that the feeling had oddly been..._titillating_.

Souring her lips once more Diana expectorated as she spit on the ground. Trampling it on the ground the Amazon quickly tossed the thought aside. She had would not be swayed. Her mother had never disclosed the exact specifics of what Hercules and his men had done, but _that _had to be one of the detestable acts they had committed. Her opponent was still a typical male, regardless of their mutual interest in battle. He would pay for what he had done!

Still rubbing his aching jaw Goku watched as the Amazon's face visibly twisted from one emotion to the other, finally settling on unmitigated rage. Gulping, the Saiyan did his best to prepare himself for what was sure to come. She shared Bulma's seething visage when the heiress had discovered her stolen panties. Unlike that situation the Saiyan could not process what had so greatly enraged the girl stomping towards him. All he had done was copy what Bulma did to Master Roshi.

The Capsule corps heiress had kissed the lecherous sage in exchange for his assistance. The turtle hermit had promptly fallen down, knocked out, with geysers of blood erupting from his nose. Goku had marveled at the power Bulma had displayed. Such a simple act had taken down the famous Master Roshi. He attempted the same thing with Diana, to mixed results. Her attacks had ceased and given him time to recuperate but she was now angrier than ever.

"I'll have your head for that!" With a shout that would've made the loudest harpy whimper Diana began her charge towards the Saiyan.

_Oh man! _

Reaching for the power pole on his back the Saiyan was nearly about to draw it, when suddenly, an acute pain sliced through his being. His body went limp, neck dropping stiff as he languidly flopped to the ground, his eyes fleetingly catching the shock on Diana's face.

"I've located her Mala!"

Were the last conscious words he heard.

* * *

**Eastern Themysciran Shores**

Bulma had finally made it.

Following her discovery of the shrouded island the daughter of Dr. Brief had sprinted full speed towards it. She had arrived just mere seconds before those mysterious clouds once again enclosed it. Now standing at the edge of what appeared to be a beach, the heiress marveled as she observed lush surroundings. This place was huge! Thick, lush, jungle enshrouded her on all sides. There were trees as far as her eyes could see. How had all of this been previously hidden from her sight? Where had this massive island suddenly come from? Where exactly was she? There was truly only one way to find out.

She would have to explore.

The heiress had no qualms about exploration, it was one of the main reasons for this trip. She shared her deceased uncle's heart for new discoveries. However, unlike previous times, she did not have her trusty sidekick by her side. The benighted boy was truly a God send during moments like these. With his Herculean strength any potential threat would be defeated. Who knew what a beautiful young girl like herself might face in the harrowing shadows of the jungles? Maybe there'd be a strapping young lad in loincloth to rescue her like in the movies. Brushing the thought aside with a blush the teenager stepped foot onto the beach. But before her toes could even properly plant down into the grainy pebbles, a pair of giant women approached her.

Slowly creeping their way out of the jungle's silhouette, the cuirass clothed women surrounded her with weapons drawn. Gulping as she frightfully stumbled to the floor Bulma waved her hands in surrender.

"This is definitely _not _what I had in mind."

* * *

**A big thank you to everyone who reviewed chapter 5! **

**Author's Note: **I get quite a few favorites and follows but when I read my review totals they don't match up. If you enjoy the story enough to favorite/follow it why not review it? A review means a lot more to me than that. Admittedly, I'm guilty of doing this to other stories but I do try my best to review, if only once. And truthfully this is my favorite of the two stories I'm currently writing. I have a lot of ideas and things planned. But if my other story is more popular that is where I will focus most of my attention.

* * *

**Q/A:**

**Noraye92: **I haven't really thought that far ahead. I'm taking it one chapter at a time.

**itheone: ** Yes, the gods are aware of Whis and co. Yes, they are afraid of the Dragonballs. As for your other questions you'll just have to read and find out.

**S3rp3nte: **If I were to do an Infinite Crisis type event in this story it probably wouldn't happen until the very end. It would take a lot of foreshadowing and building up to. I'm not too familiar with Xenoverse like I am with DBO so I'll have to look into that.


	7. The Monkey and The Eagle III

_Thoughts_

"Speech"

**Disclaimer: DC and DBZ belong to their respective owners; I own nothing.**

**Chapter 7: The Monkey and The Eagle III**

_The nerve of that...of that...boy! How dare he thrust his putrid lips upon my own! If not for Persephone's interference I would've slain him where he stood! I need now only say the word to my sisters and it shall be done. _

Turning her gaze to the Amazons trudging a few meters ahead of her, Diana frowned. Her opponent had been defeated, but not by her hand. She had been cheated out of a proper conclusion to their fight. Following his descent into unconsciousness Mala and Persephone had revealed themselves from the distance. A poison tipped arrow, courtesy of a hydra's blood, had knocked the boy flat on his face. He had promptly been scooped up as Hippolyta's guards escorted her back to the city.

"Is there something wrong princess?" Mala's pace slowed, as she glanced over the hunched boy on her shoulders to Diana whose faces was fixed in a scowl.

"Oh...nothing," Diana hastily replied, shaking her head as she cleared her mind. "Well actually...there is one thing."

"Speak," Persephone urged. "What is it?"

"Am I in trouble? Is mother angry with me?" Diana's voice wavered slightly with each syllable uttered. For all her bravery and courage she was still only a child, and feared nothing more than her Mother's wrath.

Exchanging quick glances Mala and Persephone began chuckling to themselves as the princess stood in befuddlement, a confused brow raising as their laughter grew.

"What's so funny?" The adolescent inquired with folded arms as she pouted. She wanted in on the joke.

"Forgive us princess it was just your expression. Seeing you go from a proud warrior on the battlefield, to a startled child at the mention of possibly angering your mother is...quite the change to say the least." Mala responded with a warm face enveloping smile. They had witnessed only a fraction of her battle against the invader, but she had thoroughly exemplified the Amazon way.

"You fared well against the _male." _Persephone applauded as she glanced over to the dangling boy on her sisters shoulder. "Unfortunately we robbed you of your kill. But hopefully you'll yet have the opportunity to do it."

"Ah yes this will be your first kill," Mala said as she turned around completely, now fully facing the princess. "I remember my own at the tender age of ten, helping my mother slay the vile soldiers who had invaded our home." Mala recounted fondly. "It felt good to finally draw an adversaries blood, and there was so much of..."

"Mala!" Persephone hissed, noticing the now ghastly expression on Diana's face.

Up until this point Diana had never pondered the real consequences of death. The Amazons were an immortal race, Hades hand rarely if ever touched their island. Blood had been drawn during her several daily spars with her sisters, but never once had any one of them ever viewed the river Styx. Killing meant taking that final plunge, thrusting her opponent into something they would never be able to escape. The thought alone greatly dismayed her.

"W-we're going to kill him?" Diana's words stuttered out. In truth her threats of slicing the boy's head had been just that- threats. And empty ones at that. As reality slowly sunk into her she wasn't quite sure she could go through with it anymore.

"Of course!" Mala immediately replied. "He has trespassed our lands, broken our sacred laws and dared to strike the daughter of the Queen! I would finish him now but that honor shall be yours, _after_ we've taken you back to your mother."

"The nerve of man has not changed even after all these centuries," Persephone snorted in disgust. "Do you feel pity for him little one?"

"No!" Diana quickly replied, her arms waving frantically to instantly dissuade the notion. "The harsh reality of death is just finally hitting me sisters."

"You're lucky then little one," Persephone uttered through grated teeth. "That cruel reality nearly crushed our entire nation when Hercules attacked. Thousands of your sisters died, hundreds more were abused in unspeakable ways. Your mother most of all suffered the greatest." The blonde's normally lustrous eyes glimmered with rage as her mind tread back to that blackened day.

"As the Queen's daughter, you especially must know this." Mala supplanted, her face sharing Persephone's seething visage.

"Yes I do." Diana stated firmly, her fist clenching in mutual anger. It was an event no Amazon past or present would ever forget.

"Good. Whatever fate befalls this _boy_ is well deserved." Persephone stated, taking one final disgusted glare at the unconscious child. "Now let us hurry. Phillipus tone was urgent."

* * *

**The Jungles of Themyscira**

"So an island of nothing but women huh?"

"Indeed." Atla replied with a curt nod.

"So the myths are true." Bulma mumbled to herself as she absentmindedly rubbed her chin.

"What myths?" The ebony Amazon, Dessa, asked with a perplexed blink.

"You know," Bulma nudged the nearby Amazon with her elbow. "The one about the Amazons. The mythological race of women."

"We're a myth?" Atla, the tallest of the two asked, stopping dead in her tracks as she pivoted around towards Bulma. "What does mans world speak of us?"

The capsule corps heiress gulped as she delicately pondered her next choice of words. She had been lucky that her initial encounter with them at the beach didn't result in her getting Swiss-cheesed by numerous arrows. Fortunately, for her, the two massive Amazons had given her the benefit of the doubt and had listened, and somehow understood her trembling, almost incoherent, string of words. It was something not normally done especially towards a possible threat, but as a woman she would be given the opportunity to speak before the Queen before anything further would happen.

"Well...uh.." The turquoise haired teen began, nervously scratching her forehead.

"Speak! Hasten your tongue!" Atla commanded, her already broad form seemingly becoming larger as she awaited her answer.

"You're depicted as a violent race of women who were subjugated by Hercules." Bulma's half-hearted attempt at a smile to sooth the situation was broken, as she viewed the now glowering expressions on both women's faces. _Well that certainly could have gone better. _

"Subjugated by Hercules?!" Atla's scream echoed throughout the wilderness, rattling several birds as they flew out of their trees. "Such detestable patriarchy persists after all these years."

"Where have you learned such foul lies from?" Dessa inquired, her tone less brittle but still containing wretched anger.

"My school textbooks?" The frightened teen squeaked out. Her arms instinctively raising to cover her face, as she awaited, what was sure to be- an inevitable attack. _Please don't kill me!_

"Why do you tremble in cowardice?" Dessa questioned as she stepped forward, poking the quivering girl in the arm.

"Ah!" Came a melodramatic cry from her lungs. "W-wait...I'm not injured..?" Shock clear in her voice as she quickly examined herself, spotting not a single scar.

"You thought we would harm you for the lies patriarchy has fed you?" A questioning stare appeared on both Amazon's faces as they sadly shook their head.

"Uh...well...yeah." Bulma's words were tense, embarrassment clear on her reddening face as she uttered them.

"The lies of man truly know no bounds sister."

"Indeed," Dessa agreed. "Thank blessed Athena we were saved from the filth and deceptions of man's world."

_Man's world?_ Bulma mused to herself. The caramel woman's tone was harsh and piercing. It appeared one aspect of their myth was indeed in true. She would've questioned further but given her current circumstance she wasn't going to risk potentially angering either one of them. _If they do truly hate men then..._

"Oh no...Goku!" The words were blurted out, her mind not even registering what her lips had uttered. Both Amazons turned to her, a fierce glare in their eyes.

"What it is?" Dessa's sword quickly drew from her scabbard. That was the tone of pure unadulterated fear, which she and her sisters knew far too well.

"Are we under attack?" Atla mirrored her sisters actions, reaffirming the grip on her steel tipped spear.

"No!" Bulma hastily replied, attempting to halt their possible assault before it truly began. "I just remembered something. Nothing's wrong at all." Her smile was forced, her cheeks expanding far further than normal as she attempted to keep a calm appearance. Fortunately they bought it.

"If you say so." Dessa conceded as she slowly retracted her blade.

"Do not startle us again like that." Atla warned as her eyes narrowed. "Though we peacefully occupy these lands, there are many things which might pose a threat to Themyscira. Screaming unnecessarily may divert us from true potential threats."

"Got it. Fully understood. I'm a-ok. Won't be happening again. Zipping my lips now." A jittery laugh passed Bulma's lips as the two Amazons shared addled blinks. Simply chalking it up to the 'oddness of living in man's world',the duo shrugged as they turned forward continuing on their march to the capital.

Letting out a relieved sigh the daughter of Dr Brief relaxed slightly. _That certainly could have gone worse. _Though the Amazons had claimed to be offering her sisterhood- she felt anything but. She had been on edge for practically the duration of their conversation. She could've chosen to simply remain silent but that wasn't her. The brief talk had allowed her to gain precious Intel. But none of it bode well for her spiky haired companion. If Goku had somehow stumbled upon this island as well, he was going to be in deep trouble.

_Wherever you are Goku...please be safe!_

* * *

**The Healing Isle**

"H-he's waking up already?" Epione murmured in amazement as she watched the disoriented boy groggily raise open open his eyes.. "A hydra's blood is supposed to be near lethal. Even we immortal Amazons are susceptible to it's acidity."

"Fascinating, absolutely fascinating. He appears to heal at an accelerated rate, even faster than our own." Resting in a nearby chair, the brunette draped in white tunic cloth quickly scribbled notes on the pad in her hands. "He appears to have suffered no physical damage either."

"Yeah...yeah that's great and all," Orana dismissively waved, caring little for the dalliances of medicine. "But is he finally awake yet?"

"Yes. He's finally awake." Epione mumbled in annoyed tone. She understood the Queen's reasoning behind placing a guard in the same room to watch over her. But why of all the Amazons did it have to be Orana?

The feeling was mutual from Orana. The armored guard was no less pleased about this babysitting assignment than Epione was. "Good." Standing from a nearby wall, the Auburn haired Amazon rose as she exited the room to call for the Queen. Mere seconds later Hippolyta, and small brigade of Amazons, including her daughter shuffled into the room.

"He is the one?" The Queen's voice was bombastic, filled with unbelief as she scanned over the awakening child. He didn't appear to be much. The boy was roughly the same height as Diana, with a few more pounds added on. But nothing about him screamed fierce warrior to the Queen. How had one such as this manage to challenge her daughter? Maybe she would need to amp Diana's training regime once more.

"Owh!" A loud voice sprang forward, instantly rupturing Hippolyta's train of thought. "Where am I?" Eyes bouncing like ping pongs, the confused adolescent's eyes jolted wide as he scanned his surroundings. It was stunning. The architecture was unlike anything Goku had ever seen, though that wasn't saying much considering he had lived in seclusion until only a few months ago. Large porcelain pillars upheld the building. Statues of marble decorated the earthenware walls, made of several thousand bricks. There were beds as far as his eyes could see...but oddly enough they were all empty.

"Hey!" Goku's shouted, his eyes falling upon Diana. "That was a dirty trick you played! It really hurt too." The Saiyan pouted as he sniffled, his back still mindbogglingly sore from whatever had pierced him.

The princess frowned, her fists balling as she growled. She had done no such thing! But before her lips could even flap open Mala interrupted her.

"You dare speak to the princess in such a tone?" The blonde's fingers hovered over her scabbard, twitching anxiously awaiting to draw her sword. But she was never given the opportunity as Hippolyta halted her.

"Yield Mala," The Queen commanded, her guard's arms lowering instantly. "I shall do the speaking."

"As you command my Queen." With a graceful bow Mala excused herself as she grabbed Hippolyta a chair to sit in.

"Queen? Princess? Huh?" Goku's head swayed back and forth at the mysterious people as he observed their conversation.

"Yes, I am the Queen of this island, and the girl who you so loudly shouted at is my daughter." Hippolyta explained as she settled into her chair.

Goku's eyes nearly threatened to pop out as the words reached his ear. "She's really a princess?" He asked in amazement.

A simple head nod was the Queen's answer, confirming the boy's thoughts.

"Awesome! Aweomse! Awesome!" The adolescent began grinning, his full rows of teeth now vividly on display. "That's probably why she's s so powerful! Are all princesses strong too? Can I fight her again? Pretty please? No tricks this time though."

The small contingent of Amazons all stood blinking at one another in confusion at the sight of the sprightly boy. He had battled Diana, and been shot with a highly poisonous arrow...so where was all this energy coming from?

Clearing her throat as she settled her thoughts, the Queen refocused her gaze on the wild haired boy. This was quite possibly the oddest male she had ever encountered. "You do not fear her might?"

"Nope. I'm little jealous though I wish I was as strong as her." The Saiyan said with a longing sigh. "I'm gonna train extra hard and beat her though!"

"Ah I see now," Hippolyta said with narrowed eyes. His true feelings had finally revealed themselves. "You're just another typical male who can't stand a woman being more powerful than you."

"Huh?" The Saiyan cocked his head to the side, absolutely perplexed as to what she was talking about. "I just want to be the most powerful person I can be to protect my friends."

_Noble intentions, at least on the surface. But I know how truly deceitful man can be. There is only one way to truly determine if he's telling the truth. _

"Phillipus" Hippolyta beckoned her most loyal and trusted friend.

"Yes my Queen?"

"Fetch me the lasso of truth." With a bow and head nod the leader of Hippolyta's guard exited the room, returning a few short moments later with a glowing lariat.

"Ooh...it's so shiny" Goku gawked in awe. It's golden light reminded him of the Dragonballs.

Thanking the general Hippolyta clutched the rope tightly as she rose to her feet, marching over to the child's bed. With a quick toss the magical lariat was securely fastened around the adolescents waist, much to his disapproval.

"What are you doing?" The adopted son of Gohan questioned as rope's hold grew tighter, his arms now pinned to his chest.

"Simply confirming whether or not your words are true." With a powerful yank the Queen fully enclosed the Saiyan. There was no possible room for him to escape or move, but there was still enough of it to allow him to breathe- at least momentarily.

"What is your name?" Hippolyta asked as she began her interrogation.

"Goku."

"How did you find this island?"

"I-I don't know." The Saiyan truthfully answered, as clueless as her about his origins here.

"How did you end up on this island?" Maybe a rephrasing of the question would work better.

"I was flying when suddenly I was attacked by trees."

Hippolyta blinked, confused at this, having never heard of such a thing but decided to let the boy speak further.

"Using my power pole I was able to find out who was attacking me, and ended up here I guess."

The Queen listened ardently, finally halting him at the mention of a name that caught her by surprise. "Wait...did you just say the power pole?"

"Uh...huh" Goku replied with a nod. "Speaking of it have you seen it? I think I lost it and it's one the last things my Grandpa gave me." He finished with a frown as he quickly scanned the room, seeing no trace of the orange staff.

_Where have I heard that name before? Power Pole...power pole...of course! The legend of Korin! The staff is said to possess mystical properties..that could possibly explain it. _

"Your staff was taken from you once you reached the healing isle." Hippolyta explained.

"But why?"

"For the safety of our people. You invaded our land, attacked my daughter, and broke our sacred laws."

"Sacred laws?" Goku mumbled to himself. Just what was she talking about? "And I did not...she attacked me first." By she the Saiyan meant Diana, his eyes hovering to her location once more.

"Is this true Diana?" The princess was met with her mother's stern gaze as they crossed glances. No lie could be told under the hold of the lasso; it was indeed true.

"I did mother." Diana mumbled, her words barely over a whisper as she nervously twaddled her thumbs together. Inadvertently her actions had lead to his discovery of the island.

Hippolyta sighed as she turned back to their unwelcomed guest. That was conversation she would have to have with her daughter another time. But regardless this boy had still violated their laws; their was no excuse.

"Irrespective of my daughters actions you have still committed a crime against us."

"A crime? Is that some kind of food?" Goku asked with perked ears, he could feel the rumblings in his stomach already. "But it doesn't sound too good from the way you're talking about it."

Hippolyta and the rest of the Amazons stood dumbfounded by the child's question. He couldn't be that stupid...could he?

Sighing as she gathered her wits and strength needed not to scream at the idiocy, she answered his question. "A crime is something bad... something you're not supposed to do."

"But what did I do?"

"You trespassed Themyscira."

"I did?"

"You did."

"Where's Themyscira?"

"This island is Themyscira." Hippolyta responded, her tolerance growing shorter with every question she answered.

"Really? This is an island?" Goku's eyes sprang wide open. "I don't see a beach though."

A visible, ever growing tick mark was present on Hippolyta's face as the conversation dragged on. How could anyone be so dense? She didn't have time for needless discussions such as this one. "**Enough**!"

Goku's chattering halted immediately at the sound of Hippolyta's now gruff voice. _She's as scary as Bulma! _

"Your incessant talking is enough! I have deliberated and concluded your punishment." Hippolyta said, her voice beginning to settle back down to normal decibels.

"What have you decided mother?" Diana spoke up, her ears eagerly awaiting the verdict.

"**Execution**."

"Execution?!" A new, screeching voice shouted from the door.

"Bulma!" Goku's face instantly lit up as he saw his turquoise haired companion. Never had he been happier to see her. But no sooner had she barged in the room had the guards taken hold of her.

"Let me go!" The capsule crops heiress shouted as she struggled in the strong confines; but to no avail.

"And who are you?" Hippolyta asked as she turned to the fidgeting girl in question.

"I'm Bulma Brief," She answered quickly. "And you have to let Goku go!"

"Why?" The Queen retorted with a snort. Who was this girl to question her authority? To demand anything before her. From her garb it was clear she wasn't even an Amazon.

"Because the gods demand it Hippolyta" A new almost ethereal voice said, appearing from a purple plume of smoke. "Goodness that smell is awful. How does Apollo travel like this?" The newcomer asked, in between chest constricting coughs.

"It's Strife!" The Amazons immediately recognized, the lot of them stooping to one knee as they humbled themselves before their deity.

"The one and only," The magenta goddess smugly replied as she strut across the room, drops of wine spilling from her goblet as she approached the queen. "My...my looking younger everyday Hippolyta. Aphrodite would be jealous."

Hippolyta joined her fellow sisters on the ground as the scantily dressed daughter of Zeus approached. "You're far too kind,. But neither I nor my fellow Amazons can compare to the gods." Hippolyta quickly admonished. Though she worshiped and revered her creators, she knew how truly petty they could be. A statement, even as small as that, could brew trouble for the island.

"You Amazons and your humility...Aphrodite doesn't care," The goddess rolled her eyes as she took another sip from her cup. "Now if that were Hera I spoke of we might be...

Hippolyta would not allow the manifestation of discord to speak any further upon hearing Hera's illustrious name. Stopping her dead in her tracks Hippolyta cut Strife off. "Excuse me goddess surely you have not visited us to merely compliment me. Is there no other reason for your coming?"

"Ah of course. Forgetful me," Strife said palming her forehead at her momentary lapse in memory. "The gods have sent me to stop this boy's execution." Her eyes shifted over to Goku who was still firmly wrapped in the stranglehold of the lariat. With a simple snap of her fingers the rope unfastened, slithering harmlessly to the floor. The boy instantly sprang from the bed dashing over to a stunned Bulma, but not before thanking the mysterious woman.

"Thank you" He chirped as he happily waved to her, his infamous smile adorning his face.

"Kids are so cute aren't they?" Strife sniffled, wiping faux tears from her eyes. It was such a beautiful thing. "But anyways back to what I came for; no execution will be taking place today."

At this the queen rose slightly, perturbed by her words. "For what reason? Why would the gods interfere in an affair such as this one?" The Amazons had executed men for trespassing before- albeit centuries ago.

"Their quest is is valuable to the gods."

"Their quest?" Hippolyta parroted in a confused tone

"The Dragonballs? They didn't tell you?" Hippolyta's squinted eyes was all the response Strife needed.

"H-how did you know about them?" Bulma stuttered, finally speaking up. Just when she thought things couldn't get any weirder the Universe always had a brand new surprise for her.

"I'm a goddess you silly goose," Strife chuckled to herself materializing a glass of alcohol. She would need it for the conversation she was about to have. "I'm supposed to know about this kind of thing. Did you really think you could go around collecting the most powerful mystical objects on Earth, without alerting someone's presence?"

"Well...uh...I" The flustered heiress began. She hadn't truly analyzed the implications of assembling them. But why was she interested in them? And was she really a god?

"Ah I can tell by the look on your face you have several questions for me," Strife replied, speaking before Bulma could even pose one of them. "Save them for now. Right now I need to discuss my _siblings_ with the Queen."

Hippolyta's face turned pale as Hades skin as a sudden epiphany dawned on her. _She knows!_

* * *

**A big thank you to everyone who reviewed chapter 6! **

**Q/A:**

**Gust234: **Queen Hippolyta knows nothing about the Saiyans. Bills is asleep right now, the Greek gods have no reason to be afraid of him. Can't answer the Superman question because that would be spoilers and I haven't thought that far out yet. Yeah, Superman would be extremely OP'd under Namek's sun.

**The Man of Time: **As far as balancing the power levels it's something I'll have to figure out as the story progresses. I don't plan on decreasing Superman's powers. He'll gradually be gaining them throughout the story. In the New 52 when Superman first started out he couldn't even fly. Gradually you'll see Superman go from his golden age incarnation to the modern age version of him. As for the big DBZ threats like Cell, Buu and etc? You'll just have to read and fight out.

**Itheone: **You'll see more of Superman in upcoming chapters.

**Guest:** You have to remember this is Kid Goku with virtually no training relying on instinct and natural prowess vs Diana who's been trained practically her entire life.

**Ultimate Black Ace:** Thanks for the kind words. No, at this point Goku and Bulma have not met King Ox. If this story was following regular DB canon, these chapters would've taken place after episode 3 when they met Master Roshi. As for crossover pairings I do in fact plan on having some.

**Aztec 13:** Those other Superman forms will most likely be appearing in this story.


	8. Quest of the gods I

_Thoughts_

"Speech"

**Disclaimer: DC and DBZ belong to their respective owners; I own nothing.**

**Chapter 8: Quest of the gods**

* * *

"You want me to do what?" The bewildered princess screeched as she folded her arms in dismay, her words as perplexed as the look in her mother's eyes.

"It is the will of the gods Diana." Hippolyta explained doing her best to soothe her daughter's rising anger. In truth she was not happy about their decision either, but the will of their deities always superseded her own.

"But why me?" The princess frowned, lips folding into a scowl. There were a host of other Amazons the gods could have chosen for this task. _This isn't fair!_

Smiling, the queen leaned forward placing a consoling hand on her daughter's shoulder. "The ways of the gods are unknown...even to me. But we must trust and abide by their commands, they have yet to fail us. We may not know why...but the gods have great faith in you...we must have the same."

Mother and daughter sat in silence momentarily as Diana pondered Hippolyta's words. Finally, after several minutes, the princess begrudgingly accepted them. She had no other choice anyways. With a deep sigh she stared into her mother's cerulean eyes.

"And what of my upcoming birthday?"

"We'll celebrate in full once you return victorious from your task. You shall make the Amazons proud!" Hippolyta boastfully proclaimed, eliciting a smile from her daughter.

"I fully intend to!" Diana cheerfully replied, her warriors spirit having been reignited by her patriarch. Embracing one another in a hug, mother and child savored one of the few moments they would have left together.

"Now run a long, you have much packing to do...you're leaving tomorrow," Hippolyta spoke as she reluctantly released her daughter. "Phillipus and the other guards shall help you prepare."

With a quick head nod Diana exited the room, leaving her mother alone to her own devices...or so she thought.

"Mother and daughter. Queen and princess. How _sweet_."

Hippolyta's attention was diverted as she heard those sarcastic words followed by the sound of loud, bitter, clapping from behind. Quickly reaching for her scabbard she immediately drew her sword, only to drop it as she realized who it was.

"_Strife_."

"In all my glory too I might add." The ever sardonic goddess replied as she strolled from the shadows in the queen's bed chamber. "I was expecting something a bit more..._lavish,_" The daughter Zeus mused as she examined the rather plain room. "Especially for one of the whores my father slept with."

A low growl emitted from Hippolyta's clenched teeth as she heard those words. A goddess she may have been...but disrespect such as that was never tolerable.

"What? Did I make you mad?" Strife prodded as she turned to the kneeling liege before her. "It is what you are is it not? You knowingly slept with a married man, one who happens to be the king of your gods too I might add."

Lowering her eyes the queen did her best to suppress her rising rage. Strife was the goddess of discord and mayhem...causing trouble was what she did best. But Hippolyta could not allow herself to succumb to it, especially in an already delicate situation like this one.

"My transgressions are true indeed, but is berating me the only reason you've come to visit? I thought you'd done enough of that in our previous encounter." Scowling the monarch recounted their long 'talk', which had truthfully been a shouting match, over Diana.

"Ooh there's never too much of that...trust me," The scantily dressed woman cruelly chuckled. "But no..you are correct it's not the _only _reason I've come."

The queen's ears perked up at this. "And that is reason is?"

"Everything is so straight to the point with you, don't you ever savor the moment?" Strife frowned raising her ever present glass of wine as she took a long sip. The queen's silence was answer enough. "I'll take that as no. All you Amazons...so _serious_," The magenta woman mumbled to no one in particular as she took an uninvited seat on the Queen's bed.

"Your reason for coming?" Hippolyta impatiently quipped, quickly growing tired of her delaying.

"Ah yes, like I was saying," Strife began, palming her forehead in faux forget. "I came to bring a gift from Hermes." With a slight wave of her hand a pair of all white, winged sandals appeared on the floor in front of Hippolyta.

"The sandals of Hermes" The queen gasped as she eyed the mythical pair of shoes. "But why?" She quickly asked, her shock turning to confusion. These were most sacred items of the messenger god.

"Big sky daddy thought they might come in handy for his little _princess,_" Strife responded with a simple shrug. "Plus with monkey boy being able to fly, you'll never know when they'll come in handy."

"T-thank you." Hippolyta stuttered still attempting to grasp the weight of it all.

"Don't thank me; thank Hermes. Personally I would've given you nothing but Zeus has an _obvious_ soft spot for you."

Diana's mother grimaced at yet another subtle jab. Just what was Strife's endgame?

"Ooh don't worry, like I said earlier, I won't be informing mummy dearest of what you did," The short haired goddess said, noting the slight relief on Hippolyta's face. "I just wanted to remind you that your little secret isn't as well guarded as you thought it was. Your subjects are not as loyal as you believe them to be."

Hippolyta's eyes narrowed at the vague comment._ What does she mean by that? _

"Well enough of that I have places to be, chaos to cause, _lives to ruin,_" A nefarious smile stretched cross her magenta lips. "Until later...tootles." With a departing wave the goddess of discord vanished as mysteriously as she'd arrived.

_The machinations of Strife do not seem to bode well for me...but I pray the fates are kind. _

* * *

**The Next Day, Eastern Shores of Themyscira **

"Is everything set?"

"Yes my queen everything has been packed on the ship as you've commanded." Hippolyta's guards responded as they took a knee before their liege.

"Good. And what of the girl and the boy?"

"They are on the ship as well."

"And the Dragonball that was hidden on our island?"

"It was carefully packed along with the rest of the princess' belongings."

"Good," The queen replied once more. "So now the only thing remaining..."

"Is to see me off." Diana finished, answering for her mother as she approached her from behind.

The day had finally arrived. The queen's only daughter was set to embark on her quest from the gods. Nearly all of the Amazons on the island had gathered to wish her farewell, even spiteful Aleka. She was the first Amazon to depart the island in centuries. Who knew what awaited her outside Themyscira's protective embrace? Though commanded by the gods themselves several Amazons still took displeasure in once again being forced to interact with man's world.

"Nothing good will come of this Hippolyta." A hooded Amazon said, scowling at the gathering before her. Derinoe, was one of the oldest Amazons, her age even rivaling that of Hippolyta's own. But unlike the rest of her sister's she was aged physically. Heavy wrinkles and boils adorned her hardened features.**[1]**

"Derinoe you are one the wisest and oldest amongst us, but this is the will of the gods themselves. I have no room to object nor question their decisions and choices." The queen succinctly responded. Derinoe was one of the most staunch advocates against involving the Amazons in man's world.

"I am aware of that my Queen. But at the very least one us could accompany her on this perilous journey. The _filth _of man's world might contaminate her like it once did to us." The elderly Amazon still vividly remembered Hercules brutal assault on their people. Stepping foot off the island was akin to opening Pandora's box in her mind.

"Your concerns are dually noted Derinoe but the gods selected Diana, and Diana _alone_ for this task." It too had been a surprise for Hippolyta to discover this. For whatever reason the Olympians had decreed Bulma's journey valuable to them.

"I still don't like it." With a scornful parting glare the cloaked Amazon finally dropped the subject. Something about this whole situation made the hairs on her neck rise, but nothing could be done about it.

"Well if no one else has anything to say," Phillipus spoke, coughing into her hand as she gathered the collective attention of her sisters. "I believe it's time to bid the princess farewell."

Approaching the edge of the beach Diana stood before all her sisters. She sighed deeply, surveying the beautiful landscape as she scanned each and every one of their faces. Who knew how long this quest would take? This could potentially be her last time seeing them for years. She was met with a wave of smiles, even her bitter rival Aleka shared one- if only momentarily. Phillipus, her esteemed teacher appeared to be on the verge of tears but quickly collected herself, tears were not meant to be shed by an Amazon.

"We are all proud of you Diana," Her mother spoke as she took a knee before her daughter. "As you go know you carry the faith and hearts of the Amazons with you. You will return home successful and your victorious celebration shall be spoken about even on Mount Olympus!"

"Hail, princess! Hail, Diana!" Was the enthused response echoed by all her sisters.

Tears were not meant to spilled from an Amazons eyes but the adolescent could no longer contain hers, breaking into a fit of them as viewed the love her fellow Amazons possessed for her.

"I promise I will not fail you sisters."

"We know you won't," Hippolyta beamed as she leaned forward wiping her daughter's face. "Now go with our blessing and the blessings the gods have given you. Do not return until your mission is complete."

Diana sniffled, a wobbly head nod following as she tried to regain her warrior's composure. "I promise I will not mother!"

No other word was needed to be spoken between mother and daughter as they embraced, a tighter hug never having been exchanged.

"Now go...they're waiting for you." With tearful eyes queen Hippolyta watched as her only child sprinted off into the distance, leaving the beach and the Amazons far behind.

* * *

**Diablo Desert**

"It's so...hot" Bulma groaned as she slowly staggered across the scorching desert. She was ready to collapse at any given moment...and soon enough did just that. With a loud clang and kick up of dust the capsule corps heiress crashed to the ground, the desert floor luckily providing a smooth landing. Quickly, Diana rushed to her aid. Goku would be of no use in a situation like this. The spiky haired boy knew nothing about illnesses, heck he knew _nothing_ about _anything_. Immediately checking her pulse the Amazon breathed a huge sigh of relief. She was alive, albeit extremely exhausted. Who could blame her? This mission had been anything but easy till this point.

Leaving Themyscira behind had been the hardest task she'd ever faced- that was until she'd accompanied Goku and Bulma. Her mother spoke often of man's world, but none of her vivid descriptions captured a fraction of what she'd witnessed in only a few weeks. Adjusting to her new found surroundings, and companions had been onerous to say the least. Bulma and Goku had been very accommodating and welcoming, even after her mother had nearly executed them. But alas her Amazon suspicion remained ever present, on high alert, especially during encounters with Goku.

That awkward kiss remained engrained in her mind. From the second she stepped foot on their boat she'd been hostile. Anger seethed through her very being at being put in a precarious situation like that, but embarrassment flushed her face every time she thought about it. Staying true to her Amazon code would've meant killing the boy, but he served a purpose for this mission and the gods themselves had intervened on his behalf. So instead she watched, _carefully_, with every movement he made.

Her observations had discovered he was far from malevolent, he was too stupid to be that. During their encounter with the shape shifter, Oolong, who was now accompanying them he had displayed a level of heroism that would've made the most courageous Amazon proud. She had watched idly from the sidelines as he resolved the ordeal caused by the lecherous pig's schemes. In truth she had wanted to slay him for the chaos he had caused those innocent women, but luckily for him Bulma had found him useful.

With five of the Dragonballs in their possession the group had embarked on their current search for the sixth one. That's where things had gone awry. Bulma had lost all of the 'DynoCaps' as she'd called them. Diana was still amazed that such objects existed. To be able to contain boats, houses, planes- another new found discovery, it had to be magic...it just had to be! But the turquoise haired girl had explained that is wasn't, it was just highly advanced technology. But now without that technology the group had no proper means of transport. Sure, Goku and herself could fly but neither one of them could carry Oolong and Bulma along the way.

Which lead them to the situation they presently found themselves in now. Hot and wandering aimlessly in a seemingly endless expanse of desert. Goku seemed to be fairing well thus far but the ever growing rumbles emitting from his stomach were beginning to unsettle Diana. The odd boy had a monstrous appetite that needed to be sated almost constantly. If they didn't find food and shelter soon, Bulma wouldn't be the only one unconscious.

"What's that?" Diana's ears perked up as she heard Goku's voice raise, his fingers pointing over to a rapidly moving cloud of dust. Her eyes narrowed as it finally approached, stopping mere feet before them.

"Greetings." A new, calm voice said as the soot finally dissipated.

Immediately Oolong was on edge. Peering out of her peripheral Diana noted the pig's trembling. But that was nothing new considering his cowardly disposition. Goku however remained calm, his tail twitching with intrigue as a raven haired teen hopped off the hover cycle.

"My name is Yamcha, owner of the lands you have trespassed on." Diana frowned at this, something about this scenario seemed oddly familiar. "You don't have to fear me, just hand over whatever goods and valuables you have and you'll be free to go."

"Goods and valuables?" Goku muttered, his cheeks scrunching in confusion.

"He means all the stuff we have." Oolong replied with an annoyed sigh, just how dense was this kid?

_And the Dragonballs will most likely be included in that. _Diana quickly deduced. Her mission was to retrieve the Dragonballs for the gods, this bandit's interference would prove most troublesome.

"We'll do no such thing."

"Fine have it your way then." Yamcha replied with a careless shrug. People always had to make things difficult. **[2]**

Cracking her knuckles Diana broke into a smile. _He doesn't know what he's getting himself into. _

* * *

**Fire Mountain **

"That was a bit excessive don't you think?" Bulma sweat dropped as she viewed the destruction caused by Master Roshi's massive Kamehameha. The turtle hermit had managed to put out the fire, but had managed to destroy the Ox-King's castle along the way.

"Well at least it'll be a lot cooler around these parts now." The Kame Sennin chuckled as he awkwardly rubbed the back of his head. He prayed his former apprentice wouldn't force him to pay for the damages.

"Don't worry we can always build another one." Chichi cheerfully said. Though saddened by the destruction of the only home she'd ever known, she was happy the fire had finally been put out.

Goku however was more concerned about the technique the lecherous sage had just used. He had to learn it...he just had to!

"That was a really neat trick old timer!" The boy merrily exclaimed, his tail wagging nonstop as he tugged on Master Roshi's gi. "Can you teach it to me? Please?"

The immortal sennin stroked his long, rather thick beard as he stared into the boy's pleading eyes. "Sorry Goku but it took me fifty years to master that technique."

Goku pouted, Diana quietly sharing his disappointment as well. She was still stunned that such power could be emitted by someone so old and perverted. Where had that energy come from? What produced it? Was she capable of doing the same? But alas, her hopes had been instantly dashed by Master Roshi's previous statement. Goku however was still determined as ever. He didn't have fifty years to waste. He wanted to do it now!

Mirroring the stance Master Roshi had settled into mere moments ago Goku chanted what would one day be the most infamous phrase in the world. "Kamehameha!" An azure beam of energy ejected from his palms smashing into a nearby car, destroying it upon impact.

"Well he's definitely Gohan's grandson." The Ox-King mused, finally shaking off his shock.

Master Roshi raised a brow at his comment. "Gohan's grandson huh? Now that you mention it, I do recall Gohan speaking about finding a boy with a monkey tail," He smiled as he approached the young boy, who was currently pondering how to explain the damaged car to Bulma. "How is Gohan doing by the way?"

Goku blinked as he turned towards the old man. "Okay, I guess," he stated rather monotonously."He's dead."

Diana and Master Roshi's eyes both bulged at how non-nonchalantly the boy explained it. His grandfather, and only relative as far as she knew, was deceased. She couldn't imagine speaking about her mother's death in such a manner. _Hera forbid!_

Master Roshi gasped, his saddened expression hidden behind his sunglasses. "Dead!" he shouted. "My my what a loss... in that case, would you like to move in with me? I'd be more than happy to offer you some training. It's the least I can do to honor his memory."

"Of course!" Goku replied happily. His grin threatening to practically leap off his face. "After we gather the last Dragon Ball I'll be sure to go back to your place."

The Kame Sennin waved his hand dismissively. "We'll put that on hold for now. Finish your quest first."

"You got it."

"We finally found it!" Bulma announced as she returned with a newly discovered ball in hand. During Goku's on going discussion Bulma and Oolong had slipped off to rummage through the remains of the castle. "The seven star ball! That's six down and one to go!" Her happiness was short lived however, when she laid eyes upon her wrecked car. "What happened to our car!? It's ruined!"

A shamed, guilty expression, showered Goku's face as he awkwardly twaddled his thumbs. The car he had destroyed was their only means of transportation. They had been extremely lucky to receive it in the first place.

"If it's a car you need," The Ox-King began as he pulled out a capsule from his pocket. "Just take mine." With that, the massive man flicked out a capsule and with a small plume of smoke a hover car appeared.

"Thank you! Thank you!" Bulma appreciatively said as she quickly entered the driver's seat. This car was even more spacious than the last one had been. Goku and co quickly followed suit entering the car as well. But before the group could leave, Chichi approached the boot, blushing madly as she gazed adoringly at Goku.

"Hey Goku," She began shyly, capturing the Saiyan's attention. "I was wondering... When we're old enough... Will you...? Would you...? Do you want to get married?"

Goku blinked several times, perplexed by the meaning of her words. "Married?" He repeated. "What's that?"

Diana sighed, Goku's nativity was on full display once more. However, she could not blame him considering the circumstances he had been born with. Marriage was a serious vow and custom on Themyscira and was not to be taken lightly. She would not allow her acquaintance to accept something he did not fully understand.

"Just say _no_ Goku." Diana suggested, harshness seeping into her tone as she eyed Chichi.

Chichi's face reddened in slight embarrassment and anger. "But I promise I'll make a good wife." She pleaded.

"No!" Diana reaffirmed once more, her voice rising slightly.

"This is between me and Goku, just stay out of it!" The princess of fire mountain yelled, her voice rising even higher than Diana's. Just who did she think she was to butt in like that?

Goku meanwhile, sat quietly, stupefied at what was occurring before him. His lips quivered open to speak but were interrupted every time by the combative duo.

"Seeing as how Goku has no understanding of what marriage is _I am_ speaking for him," Diana shouted, even more aggressively. "And someone like you who cannot understand his guilelessness isn't deserving of someone as amazing as Goku in the first place!"

"Y-you think I'm amazing?" Goku asked, finally managing to get a word in.

Diana's hands quickly retracted to cover her mouth. _Did I really just say that out loud? _In truth her words had been true, Goku was indeed an amazing person. He was nothing like the men Diana's mother had constantly warned her about. Over the course of these past weeks her admiration for his skills and warriors spirit had grown tremendously. He was the first male she had ever met and was easily the greatest of any she had encountered till this point.

"I'm not going to let you have him that easily." Chichi fumed as she angrily folded her arms together.

"But I don't want …."

"Save it!" The Ox-King's daughter interjected, cutting her off with a hand wave. "Once he learns what marriage actually is...he'll make the decision on his own." With an annoyed huff the princess departed the car, rejoining her father, finally allowing Bulma to take off.

_But I don't want Goku..._

* * *

**Emperor Pilaf's Castle**

It was over... it was finally over. Surveying the ruins of the once magnanimous castle Diana couldn't help but gawk at the level of destruction that had been caused. Goku's mysterious transformation into a gigantic ape had been the climax of their journey. Following their capture at the hands of the blue midget known simply as emperor Pilaf, the group had been chained and imprisoned in his dungeon. Their cells had been fortified by materials that neither Goku nor herself could break. Whatever LuthorCorp was, their devices were nearly indestructible.

She had failed her mission.

Her mission, as requested by the gods, was to retrieve the Dragonballs. During her travels and adventures she knew she would eventually have to betray her companions, who had now grown to become friends. It weighed heavily on her mind the closer their group got to collecting all seven mystical objects. When Goku and Bulma asked her reasons for accompanying them on this mission she had lied, simply stating that her gods sought to assist them on their quest. In reality her gods wanted the Dragonballs for themselves for reasons unknown even to her. Bulma and Goku were simply doing the hard labor for the Olympians to reap the rewards. They were being used by higher powers they could never understand.

When all seven balls had finally been collected Diana struggled with what needed to be done. How could she betray those who had shown nothing but kindness to her? How could she return that with bitter deceit and deception? She was almost grateful that the Dragonballs had been stolen, it averted a tough decision- at least momentarily. When they awoke from their drug induced sleep they were greeted with the sight of the most magnificent dragon ever seen. Diana had almost felt the need to bow before such a mighty being, but had to halt Pilaf's disastrous wish before it was granted.

She had failed in that accord as well, Oolong, the most cowardly of them all had been the one to foil Pilaf's plans. Deviant as ever the porky pig had used the wish for a pair of panties. Diana would've normally conked him for such foolishness, but had been more relieved that Pilaf had been stopped. Unfortunately that wish meant the Dragonballs would now be dormant for an entire year before any possible usage once more. The discovery of that was more crushing than anything. Diana had sworn to her mother, to her people to return victorious with them. She had completely and utterly failed.

But still her greatest challenge was to come as Goku transformed into a colossal ape. Seeing a full moon had somehow triggered something inside him. She knew that tail of his was not natural. The once gently boy became rage incarnate, smashing everything in sight. Previously Diana and Goku had been on equal footing, with Diana have a slight edge due to more training. But his monstrous transformation had changed all that. Goku's strength multiplied in ways she couldn't have possibly imagined. Even with the combined efforts of Yamcha they had been unable to stop him. Eventually Diana had been forced to just slice his tail off. It hurt and singed in ways she couldn't possible fathom...but it was necessary.

Goku returned to his normal, cheerful self. He was dumbfounded when he awoke and found his favorite appendage missing. The group contemplated telling him what had occurred but dropped it, realizing it wouldn't be of much benefit to him. Gohan's grandson quickly got over it anyways, though he was still struggling to balance himself without the added weight of his tail. With the Dragonballs dormant for an entire year the group had decided to head off on their separate ways. Yamcha, Bulma, Oolong, and Puar would be heading back to the city while Goku would head back to Master Roshi's house. Everyone had plans but her.

_I failed! I can't go home like this! I made a promise to mother and my sisters. Returning home empty handed would shame not only shame the Amazons but our gods as well. They tasked me specifically with this assignment. Mom proclaimed that I shouldn't return home until I was victorious...guess I'll have to wait another year before I see her again. _

"Are you okay Diana?" Goku questioned as he managed to sneak up behind her. She had let her guard down while musing her next decision.

"I'm fine Goku," She quickly reassured, hoping to quell some of his concern. "I'm just wondering where to go from here. The Dragonballs can't be used for a whole year and I can't return home yet."

"Why not?" The boy blinked in intrigue. The people on her island sure did seem to love her. Had she done something to upset them?

Diana grimaced. She had yet to tell anyone the whole truth behind her mission. "I just can't." Was the best response she could muster.

"Okay." Goku shrugged simply dropping the mater all together. "But I do know what you can do though."

"What?"

"You can join me and train with Master Roshi. You're already super strong...just imagine how powerful you can become!"

A haughty brow rose at this. The Kame Sennin's skill was no doubt impressive, but his lecherous personality wasn't something she would tolerate. If he dare try _anything..._and she meant _anything_, Hades himself would not be able to save his soul from damnation.

"I guess I'll join you, it's not like I have anywhere else to go."

"Sweet!"

"But if he tries anything at all," Diana's eyes narrowed into dangerous slits "I will gut him."

Goku simply laughed the threat off. She wouldn't really do that...would she? Goku was left to ponder that question as the blue eyed girl took to the skies, anxious to begin the next chapter of her journey.

* * *

**Areopagus, The abode of Ares **

"So your little pet failed?" Ares chuckled as he gazed through a portal to man's world. The mission Zeus had assigned was unsuccessful.

"If I recall correctly you were the one who suggested this all in the first place." Strife snidely retorted. Her brother had attempted a power play during their father's meeting.

"That is besides the point," Ares quickly dismissed, brushing off his sisters point, however truthful it was. "Father assigned the mission but it was _you _who gave it out and specifically chose Diana for it."

"That much is true." His magenta sibling nodded in agreement.

"But now she has failed. I don't know whatever ploy you were getting at but it obviously didn't work." His sister was conniving, even more so than he. She was the goddess of discord after all. Usually they worked in unison to accomplish their goals, but for the first time he was left in the dark.

"Oh don't worry brother this was but a simple bump in the proverbial road." Zeus's daughter replied rather non-nonchalantly. She hadn't calculated this specific conclusion but had already planted the seeds for an even greater scheme. "A fraction of the fun has only yet begun."

* * *

**A big thank you to everyone who reviewed chapter 7! **

**Authors Note: **This chapter took a while to publish, but I've been pretty busy these past couple months. I know the time skip might seem a bit abrupt but it was necessary. I already intend for this story to be long, possibly over 100 chapters. Including all of Dragonball will make the story even unnecessarily longer. Just a forewarning though, the next couple chapters will follow this format. But for those of you who are interested in the more detailed events that occurred in Dragonball, you will be able to read about them. I plan on making **Dragonball DC** a 3 part series and will explain what I mean briefly below.

**Dragonball DC – **This is the main story and will pretty much focus on DBZ and assorted DC villains and plots.

**Dragonball DC: Universe – **Will be a side story which details a lot of the things I left out in Dragonball DC, and expound on their background. I.E Some of the events that I skipped over in Dragonball, the Krypto-Saiyan war and etc.

**Dragonball DC: Showcase - **Will be a series of miscellaneous adventures involving character team ups and stories that could not be included in the main story. I.E Piccolo teaming up with Martian Manhunter, Goku teaming up with Superman, and etc. This will pretty much be like Batman: The Brave and the Bold.

Around this time last year when I first started writing this story I kind of just winged it. There wasn't a lot of cohesive thought put behind it, but now I'm trying to structure and organize things as best as possible. The announcement of Dragonball Super has slightly thrown me off now. I'm unsure of what do concerning that. The story is currently no where near that arc in DBZ but things revealed in Dragonball Super could cause some mishaps. I guess I'll have to wait and see though.

**[1]: **For those of you who have been keeping up with recent Wonder Woman comics, this character may be familiar to you. This is a pretty big hint on some of the things to come.

**[2]: **Yamcha, at least in this Universe, is still shy and afraid of women but only those who are his age or close to it. Diana is just a kid.

* * *

**Q/A:**

**ElizabethRedlightVirusGreene: **Goku will indeed be getting a growth spurt. I don't intend on dwelling on Dragonball for too long. Kick whose ass?

**ArkonWinfel:** I looked it up, Namek has three yellow suns. Way too much power for Superman if he goes there.

**RecklessBaka: **Goku already has Nimbus, I mentioned it in the two previous chapters. Yes, he will participate in the WMAT.

**Itheone: **I'm just setting the groundwork for the main story. We'll get there pretty soon. You'll see more of the league in upcoming chapters.

**Moshe30350redstar: **I made no mention of who is more powerful than who in the previous chapter.

**Chris2828: **Later I'll possibly have Kami interact with the other gods. I always hated the weakling Gohan went on to become, he won't be the same in this story.

**Guest: **These are my exact words from the previous chapter: "this is Kid Goku with virtually no training". Keyword being virtually. It was never explicitly stated how long Grandpa Gohan trained him. Was it a couple days? A week? A month? A couple months? Who knows. Diana lives on an island full of warriors where they train practically every day, in comparison to that Goku is virtually untrained. I never mentioned anything about Goku being all brawn.

**Guest:** Probably not.

**Kabuto S. Inferno: **I do plan on making alterations in the future, but Chichi will be in this story. She was in this chapter.

**Siri:** The pairing is undecided. Power Girl probably isn't even going to appear so that's unlikely.

**Jason123: **Goku x Diana is a possibility. As for your other Goku comment, see above. This story isn't following canon so what happened in Jaco might not be canon for this story. I already totally ignored Dragonball Minus.

**lostgamer64: **Vandal savage is already immortal and Ras Al Gul has the Lazarus pit, it would be kind of redundant for them to seek immortality. The only canon relationship that has to be maintained is Bulma and Vegeta. Gohan can still be born with a different mother.

**J. B. Wock: **Initially I thought this story would be a tremendous task, it still is but I've gained a lot of knowledge about both Universes so it isn't that harrowing anymore. The info dumps have been necessary. I already plan for this story to be quite long and without some info dumps it could be even longer. I'll try and cut back some though...thanks for the kind words.

**S3rp3nte: **As I said in the third chapter this won't be based on any particular version of the DC Universe. I'm pulling from a multitude of sources.

**Rowknan: **"Decades of war" isn't really a specific time frame though, it's vague and open to interpretation.

**TheSkyBreakerV1: **Thanks for the high praise, though I don't feel I'm deserving of it. I'll probably go back and edit that.

**Drake202: **I briefly explained the reasoning for the Olympians seeking the Dragonballs in chapter 5. As for your Goku comment; see above. I have not forgotten about Zenkai's.

**JKFallen:** Time skips were implemented in this chapter. I wasn't really on a hiatus, I was just busy with work and stuff. Looking forward to your story if you do decide to write one.


	9. Quest of the gods II

_Thoughts_

"Speech"

**Disclaimer: DC and DBZ belong to their respective owners; I own nothing.**

**Chapter 9: Quest of the gods II**

* * *

**Papaya Island**

"I proudly present to you the winner of the 21st World Martial Arts Tournament...Jackie Chun!" An eruption of cheers and joyous screams followed as the blonde haired announcer raised the elderly man's fist into the air. If you had told him days earlier, at the start of the tournament, that a man such as this would win he wouldn't have believed it. The announcer wasn't alone in his disbelief. Frowning, with arms folded from the crowd, Diana couldn't believe this turn of events either. She had worked so hard, trained until her bones pleaded to Hades, until her energy was as withered away as Cronus heart, but had still lost. Heck she hadn't even made it to the final match.

The disappointment was evident in her face.

Following the events at Emperor Pilaf's castle Hippolyta's daughter had followed Goku to undergo training with Master Roshi. She was of course hesitant, and rightfully so. The Sennin was a lecherous pervert who lived in isolation on a remote island. Who knew how depraved his mind had become in all those years? Her short interactions with him had made her weary enough. As soon as the duo arrived at his home the Amazon set down ground rules for her stay. She would not be objectified or taken advantage of like her fellow sisters.

Their immediate lengthy 'conversation', which in actuality involved Diana threatening Master Roshi with unbearable torture, all courtesy of her training with Phillipus let him know just how serious she was.. The sage of course complied, Diana wasn't anywhere near of age, and as perverted as he was, even he _wouldn't _go to those lengths. With ground rules firmly established their training had gone well..._for the most part_. That was until they had been joined be another pupil; Krillin. Their relationship had been rocky to say the least. For one who proclaimed himself to be a monk, his demeanor was anything but reflective of it.

The books Diana had read in Themyscira's library always described monks as virtuous, pious people. But Krillin was anything but that. The clean shaved adolescent had bribed Master Roshi to train him. Krillin had even gone so far as recruiting Launch and bringing her to the Kame House in attempts to please Master Roshi. The blonde haired woman was a volatile enigma, transforming from a gentle antelope to a roaring lion in the span of a sneeze. Diana had recounted every spell she knew to see if she could break what she believed was a curse, but to no avail.

Master Roshi's training had been...odd to say the least. Milk deliveries, plowing farms, swimming in shark infested waters, weighted turtle shells. None of the training seemed to serve a purpose. But there was indeed a method to his madness. At the end of their 8 months the effects of their work had been immediate. Her strength increased dramatically. Her leaping ability now projected her far above the clouds. For all his eccentricity Master Roshi did indeed produce results. But there was one thing she had been unable to learn during the duration of her training; Ki. **[1]**

It was something that came so natural to Goku and Krillin, but try as she may, she could not produce any. Ki was a force that existed in everything. Every living being on the Earth possessed some form of Ki. But as Master Roshi later explained, not everyone was able to access it. For the most part only those belonging to the Homo Magki, a sub-race of humans, could use Ki. This explained and alleviated Diana's concerns about being a failure, but irritated her due to the fact it was something out of her control. But regardless it made no difference to her training regimen in the end.

The discovery of a world's martial arts tournament had been a great surprise. The Amazons annually held Olympic games at the coliseum that involved all manner of sports, combat being the most beloved of them all. But nothing she had participated in sounded as grandiose as this. A fighting tournament involving people from all across the world? Themyscira's native population was barely in the millions, the prospect of fighting people from across the globe tingled her warrior's blood. Not everything about

man's world was as bad as her sisters proclaimed it to be.

Preparations for the tournament had been short; their training had been enough. Outside of a new outfit, an orange Gi courtesy of Master Roshi, nothing new was done in anticipation for the competition. Once the day of the tournament finally arrived the three pupils and their master left for Papaya island. The island's scenic background was reminiscent of Themyscira, bubbling feelings of sadness that the princess had long tried to subdue. Her quest for the Dragonballs had been momentarily pushed aside for these past few months, but thoughts of her task once again began to flood her mind.

Diana had been been happily surprised to encounter Bulma once again, this time on much more amiable terms. She was even slightly happy to see Yamcha, the lone wolf announcing his tournament participation at the gate. With Goku's rather unnecessary efforts, the scar faced warrior had defeated easily in the Diablo desert. She couldn't wait to get another crack at him, this time on her own terms. There would be no plausible excuses for him to give.

As the competition finally began Goku, Krillin, Yamcha, and herself easily steamrolled through the preliminary rounds. She didn't even exert one tenth of her power during the opening rounds. The quart-finals had been a bit different though. Yamcha had been defeated by the mysterious Jackie Chun. The gray haired man, who Diana suspected was Master Roshi, easily disposed of the lone wolf in seconds. Krillin would fall to him in the next round as well. Only Diana and Goku were left standing for the semi-finals, and ironically enough they would have to face one another.

It was a rematch both adolescents had been anxiously waiting for. They hadn't been given a true conclusion to their initial fight due to the meddling of her sisters. But here they could fight to their hearts content, and they did. The ring was left in shambles as the two friends valiantly battled one another. The fruits of Master Roshi's training showing themselves in full as they dazzled the crowd. But in the end history repeated itself, as both fighters simultaneously collapsed in end, giving no clear winner of their fight once more. Neither fighter advanced to the next round. The final match was between Nam and Jackie Chun.

Both Goku and Diana watched in disappointed from the sidelines as Jackie Chun defeated Nam. The desert warrior gave Jackie Chun a hard fought battle but both pupils knew they could've done much better than him and possibly even won. Once again her prize was so close but out of reach. Her short time in man's world had brought about nothing but failures until this point.

"Diana what's wrong?" Goku asked as he tapped the pouting Amazon on the shoulder.

"It's nothing Goku." The princess quickly tried to reassure, but her tone conflicting the veracity of her words.

"Aww c'mon I know something's wrong I can see it in your face." The spiky haired boy contested, his face sliding into a slight frown. "Is my stomach growling too loud? I tried to buy some food earlier but they wouldn't accept Master Roshi's magazines as money."

Diana couldn't help but chuckle at his last remark. Goku always knew how to elicit a smile out of her. "No, that's not the problem Goku."

"Then what is it? You can tell me. We're friends right?"

"Yes...we are." Diana finally responded after a long pause. They had grown to become close friends, something she never would have imagined after their initial meeting.

"So what is then?" The Saiyan prodded once more, leaning forward with an attentive ear.

"It's just.." Hippolyta's daughter began, struggling to find the right words. "Ever since I left Themyscira it feels like I've been failing at everything. I failed to stop Emperor Pilaf. If not for Oolong's fortunate timing he would've succeed. I failed to learn to use Ki, though that's out of my power. And now, most recently, I failed to even advance to the tournament final. It just seems like nothing I do is enough" The young Amazon sighed as she hung her head in a defeated motion. _Not to mention the quest the gods entrusted to me. _

The normally sprightly boy sat in silence as he momentarily pondered her words. Diana was far from a failure. She had accomplished so much in her short stay with him. Diana was fond of applying too much pressure on herself. She always felt as though she had to bear the weight of the world on her shoulders. They had discussed her Amazon heritage several times, and it was vividly clear how much she prided herself in upholding their legendary traditions.

"Do you remember that story you told me about that lightning bolt guy and that baby eater?"

"You mean the All-Father Zeus and Cronus?" Diana asked with a brow raised. Goku's memory was, at best, foggy to say the least.

"Oh...yeah...them!" The boy quickly nodded in agreement.

"What about them?"

"The lightning guy's mom..."

"Zeus." Diana replied through grit teeth, she could feel a large tick mark slowly beginning to form.

"Had to go through failures with her other children before she had him." The princess irritation subsided briefly as she listened to her friend's surprising words of wisdom. "Then there was something about someone eating a rock? Or was that a branch? Darn it I'm getting hungry again." Hippolyta's daughter collapsed with a sweat drop as Goku completely lost focus on his train of thought.

_Well at least he somewhat almost had it? _

Quickly composing herself as she rose to her feet the princess mused over Goku's incomplete words. She understood the gist of what her friend was trying to say. Rhea, the mother of Zeus had to suffer with her failures as a mother, watching Cronus devour all of her children. It took six attempts before Rhea was finally able to rescue at least one of her children. That one child would go on to redeem her, as well as rescue his siblings. There was something to learn from every failure.

Diana smiled, her lips stretching from ear to ear. Goku hadn't been the most articulate in expressing his words but it had been enough to stir her from this downtrodden attitude she slowly settling into.

"Thanks Goku."

"Huh?" The orange clad boy replied with a quizzical expression, still ruminating over what exactly had been swallowed.

"For helping keep me focused."

The adopted grandson of Gohan merely nodded, flashing her the infamous Son grin all the while completely clueless as to what she was referring to.

* * *

**Dream Land, West City **

The Dragonballs were truly a detriment to the world. The sheer lengths mankind would go to procure them was abominable. Was this the reason the gods had tasked her with their retrieval? Did they see the corruption in the hearts of mankind? The evil that man would do to have them in their grasps? Not only men but women as well. Scowling, Diana could not believe that one of her fellow sisters would partake in such evil.

_The Red Ribbon Army had to be expunged from the face of the Earth._

The organization held no regard for life- human, mammal or insect. They only cared about achieving their goals, furthering their plans; capturing the Dragonballs. This was the wickedness her mother and the elder Amazons had warned her of. Nothing had truly changed in the millennia the Amazons had lived in isolation. All the violence, all the fear, all the destruction...for these little spherical orbs of magic? It was now more paramount than ever that Diana succeed in her mission. She had once thought of it as possible betrayal, but in actuality she would be saving mankind from itself.

Everything went downhill the moment Goku began his search for his Grandfather's Dragonball. Diana of course assisted Goku on his quest. Her mission could begin once more with the Dragonballs now being active. Locating the six star ball the duo once again crossed paths with Emperor Pilaf and the Ox-King. Chi-Chi, much to Diana's annoyance, once again attempted to coerce Goku into marriage. Hippolyta's daughter had none of it and immediately shut down the proposed idea.

It was during the commotion of their rather ruckus argument that Emperor Pilaf managed to slip away with the Dragonball. Chasing him down it was then that Goku and Diana ran into even more dubious foes; the Red Ribbon Army. A small battalion of soldiers, lead by Colonel Silver attempted to strip the Kame Sennin students of their recently retrieved Dragonball. The battle was short, ending quickly as their combined might easily overpowered the Colonel.

Colonel Silver was a pushover but the opponents they would encounter at Muscle Tower were anything but. Major Metallitron required the efforts of an enormous Kamehameha along with Diana's enchanted blade to even be destroyed. Ninja Murasaki was a pure blood assassin. He was the first of several opponents they would face whose sole mission was murdering the duo. Diana sparred him no mercy once he was defeated, shaving his head clean off but not before he unleashed Android 8. But unlike the other mechanical creation Android 8 refused to fight, which was good news for them.

The pink abomination Buyon was the next monster they would face. Once again Diana's sword proved useful. Every attack Goku threw at the pink beast simply bounced right off, but her sword sliced him to pieces. Their final confrontation at the tower was with General White, it's leader. The battle was rather one sided until General White, being the coward he was, grabbed Goku's tail. With her furry tailed friend incapacitated it became a one on one battle, one that Diana won with a vengeance. It was one thing to simply harm her comrade, but harming a comrade _in her presence _was asking for death.

It was the third life Diana took that day, and she held no grievance about it. She had been hesitant on Themyscira at the possibility of potentially having to take Goku's life. His trespassing had been innocent and unintentional, he had meant no harm. But her opponents were monsters, criminal deviants who held no value for life; they deserved it. Goku wasn't as keen on bloodshed but Amazon justice was clean and swift.

Following those events the duo had traveled to West City in search of Bulma to repair the Dragon Radar. It was truly a sight to behold. That city alone possessed more residents than entire island of Themyscira. The princess nearly caught got up in sight seeing until another one of the RRA's associates made their presence known. Hasky, a blonde haired thief, attempted to steal the Dragonballs as she explored the Dream Land amusement park. Diana was shocked and horrified at the discovery.

Of course women were as capable of evil as men, but seeing a fellow sister align herself with terrorist organization was disheartening. Hasky not only attempted to steal the Dragonballs, but she attempted to blow up the amusement park as well. Thousands of lives would have been needlessly taken if Goku hadn't acted in time. Her life however was spared as Bulma turned her over to the proper authorities. Amazon law would have called for her blood, but Diana complied with the decision.

The crew had been reunited following Hasky's capture. The hunt for the Dragonballs had begun, in full, once more. With Bulma joining them their travel time would at least be cut in half. But the longing betrayal weighed heavy on her mind. As much as she despised it, it was something she just had to do. Her nation and her gods were relying on her to succeed, and as much as she beginning to like her friends; they would always come in second to her duty.

_May Athena help me. _

**Penguin Village**

Another day...another Dragonball. The hunt for the Dragonballs was becoming increasingly tumultuous. The Red Ribbon Army had a seemingly endless slew of soldiers at their disposal. Every turn Bulma, Goku, Krillin and Diana took ended in an encounter with the paramilitary criminal organization. Whoever or whatever was funding them had to have an enormous amount of money. They had access to technology that rivaled Bulma's own.

Their latest foe in the hunt for the Dragonballs had been a blonde haired, vain General. General Blue as he'd called himself was the pinnacle of patriarchy. He was everything Hippolyta and Amazons had claimed mankind to be. Self absorbed, arrogant, brutish..._misogynist_. He was a hate filled being on all accounts. He had to be a descendant of foul Hercules.

Their first encounter with the high ranking officer had been at an underwater cave. Unlike the previous two officials from the RRA, the General did not take their group lightly. With the combined might of Krillin and Goku the trio managed to defeat General Blue, leaving him to his death as the cave collapsed, or so they thought. But as fate would have it the commander was much more durable than either Sennin student could have imagined, and they would encounter him once more at the Kame house.

Emerging from the sea, relatively unscathed, the General managed to subdue their group. If not for Launch's timely arrival they might have died from the bomb he attached to the house. Though they managed to escape with their lives, General Blue escaped with the Dragonballs. Chasing him down to the extremely strange Penguin Village they would engage in one last final battle battle. Diana had seen wondrous sights across the globe during her travels with Goku but this hamlet easily held the crown for it's peculiarity.

The General's telekinesis once again proved to be deadly. If not for his mental abilities Goku and Diana would have quickly disposed of him. But maintaining a telekinetic grip on two people, especially one's as powerful as master Roshi's pupils wasn't something he could maintain for very long. Eventually Diana broke out and attacked, breaking The General's concentration and releasing his grip on Goku. With spectacular teamwork the army official was defeated. Diana would have delivered the finishing blow had it not been for Arale's interference in the matter.

The strange purple haired girl possessed strength that surpassed both Goku and Diana's own. Even with all the training they had undergone all it took was one punch from General Blue to send the vain villain soaring into the sky, eventually rocketing away as a mere twinkle in the sky. Following the rather anti-climactic end to their battle Arale's father helped create a new Dragon Radar, the previous one haven been stolen by General Blue. All in all their mission had gone fairly well it could be deemed a success. But as Diana and Goku soared into the sunset the Amazon princess couldn't shake the ominous feeling rattling her bones.

There was something _big_ looming on the horizon.

* * *

**Eth Alth'eban (The Sacred city of the League of Assassins)**

"Ninja Murasaki has been slain." A distinctly feminine voice announced as she entered a dimly illuminated bed chamber.

"Good, as should all league failures be." A non-nonchalant voice quickly responded. "But why is this of note though? He was one our weakest associates."

"He was defeated by two children."

A pregnant pause followed as the masculine voice halted to ponder his next set of words.

"You're sure they were children?"

"Yes."

Silence echoed through the dark chamber, a sly grin creeping onto the man's face as he recounted a similar feat from his two star pupils.

"Thank you for bringing this to my attention Shiva, I'm sure my brother will find this tidbit of information useful."

"Grateful to be of service Master Shen." With a polite nod the teenage assassin bowed as she bid her farewell, exiting the room as silently as she had arrived.

* * *

**Athena's Temple, Themyscira **

Dusting herself off Derinoe lowered herself to the ground as she silently began to pray. The elder Amazon couldn't help but stand in awe as she gazed at the fifty foot statue in front of her. Athena was one of the most beloved deities on Olympus, but even more so on Themyscira. For centuries the daughter of Zeus had guided and aided the Amazons during their most dire times of need. Through _whatever_ time of need the goddess of wisdom was there, which is why the gray haired woman had turned to her today.

It had been over a year since the princess had left Themyscira. Derinoe was still staunchly against the idea, but it was the will of her gods after all. A mind as young as Diana's had yet to be truly carved, with her new found experiences dallying around man's world, who knew what effects it would have on her? Hippolyta tried to remain strong in her leadership but it was clear her heart ached for Diana. Some of her more recent choices were steeped too far in feelings rather than hard, cold, logic. It was beginning to negatively effect her rule.

_O great Athena! Wisest of the gods, most auspicious of our patron deities, I pray you..._

But before her thoughts could even be completed a plume of purple smoke appeared before her. Squinting, Derinoe peered through the foggy haze, eyebrows rising as she saw who was behind it.

"Strife!"

"The one and only." The goddess of discord merrily replied as she dispersed the smog, stepping closer to her worshiper.

The Amazon's surprise quickly turned to confusion as her mind contemplated the situation at hand. She was praying to Athena, how in the world had Strife heard her prayers? What was she even doing here? More questions began to flood her mind as she glanced round the temple. Just what was going on? But before she could even voice her concerns Strife's slender finger silenced her lips.

"All of your questions will be answered Derinoe."

Those words seemed to settle the curious Amazon down, at least momentarily, as her posture relaxed slightly.

"You have been one of the most faithful Amazons and I believe it's time for that loyalty to be returned in full." Derinoe's eyes narrowed at these words, just what was she getting at? "There's a secret you _deserve_ to know."

* * *

**A big thank you to everyone who reviewed chapter 8! **

**[1]: **As I previously mentioned in Chapter 2 the only humans who can use Ki are the Homo Magki. As far as alien races who use Ki, that will be explained later on. I didn't want everyone in the story to be able to use Ki, just the DBZ characters.

* * *

**Q/A:**

**darkmist111: **Yes, Kami will protect the Earth from the potential threats posed by other pantheon's gods. Currently though he hasn't deemed the Olympians a threat. Their actions have mostly been reserved to their own realm and Themyscira which is outside his sight.

**Moshe30350redstar:** It's a possibility. She's going to be part of the TT so it could happen.

**Adam-TheCyborgVigilante-Jensen:** Beerus is currently asleep and probably wouldn't even care if he were awake lol. I'd have to go with Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan Gogeta over SSJ4 Gogeta. In BOG Goku stated that fusion wouldn't be enough to defeat Beerus, so based off that the SSG transformations have to be more powerful.

**Keldeox: 1.) **At a certain point Goku and Superman will become equals. I hated death battle. The animation was nice but there were so many inconsistencies, I'd never rely on that. Personally I think Post-Crisis and New 52 Superman would match Goku blow for blow at SSJ2, but SSJ3 and above? I believe Goku would win especially with the new SSG transformations that have been introduced. Of course this is all dependent on whether or not Superman sun dips, and for how long because if he does, all that could go out the window. **2.) **Goku's already a superhero of sorts, just not the stop a bank robber kind. **3.)** Cell will most definitely be making an appearance in this story. He'll be an even bigger threat because he'll have more DNA to be created from.

**RecklessBaka: **Yeah I couldn't possibly cover all of Dragonball. That would have been excessively long. I hadn't considered that about Goku until you mentioned it, it's actually a really great idea.

**Aztec 13: **Forever Evil? Possibly. Blackest Night? Unlikely. Flashpoint? Unlikely. Batman Endgame? Haven't even read it. Ulysses? Haven't read it. Super Doom? Unlikely, considering I'm going with the Post-Crisis version of Doomsday for this story. If I do end up doing any of these story lines they're probably going to be completely different from the comic versions, considering the completely different casts.

**Breakawayfan: **Yes, Goku will fight DC villains and vice versa, though Bane would get KO'd rather easily.

**NirvanaFrk97: **Realistically they should have, but since I'm following the plot of Dragonball they can't really do that. Later on they will spread across the entire Earth though.

**ThatGuy brother of OtherGuy: **Skipping till post-Namek would miss a lot of things. That's way too far.

**Ultimate Black Ace: **Admittedly I could have included more scenes from Dragonball in the previous chapter, but I didn't due to partial laziness (lol), and personally feeling that they weren't really necessary. I do not intend for Gohan to be a wimp in this story. His personality will probably be altered but not too dramatically.

**Guest: **Because it's fan fiction.

**Kabuto S. Inferno: **I will try to keep the secondary Z-fighters relevant. I've already had some help coming up with creative ways on how to do it.

**JKFallen: **How are you writing a DBZ story if you never liked DBZ? Lol. Superman's already been implemented into the story. And yes, Superman will be a permanent character. He's one of the main characters listed besides Goku. I haven't really thought out what will happen after Dragonball. Other DC heroes and villains will be included.

**Totong:** Thanks for the kind words. We haven't seen the full extent of Whis' power in DBZ yet, but he's already far more powerful than Zeus just based on power scaling. Deathbattle was a completely mess I don't even want to discuss all the problems it had.


	10. Quest of the gods III

_Thoughts_

"Speech"

**Disclaimer: DC and DBZ belong to their respective owners; I own nothing.**

**Chapter 10: Quest of the gods III**

* * *

**Age 750 (2000), Themyscira**

Anger, pure unadulterated rage was the only tangible emotion coursing through Derinoe's veins. Though shrouded by the ever present shadow of her hood, the splenetic frown on her face could not be concealed. Millenia of battle and war had already withered her heart to cold, gelid ice. The deceptions and wickedness of mankind had dissolved the remaining ounces of trust she had left. But never, under Helios brilliant sky, had she expected such stinging betrayal from one of her sisters, least of all her former lover.

Eris secret had shaken the foundation of _everything _she believed in. The Amazon philosophy, their way of life, their very sisterhood had been crumbled by the words that so freely fluttered from the lips of Zeus' daughter. _**Zeus**__. _At the mention of his name her frown soured deeper, the tremendous wrinkles on her face rippling like the waves of an ocean. He was as much to blame for this as her Queen was, but alas the father of the gods could not be held accountable, least of all by his own creations.

In truth the All-Father was the least beloved of all the male gods, save for despicable Ares. It was only out of duty and obligation that Derinoe even prayed to him. His numerous escapes gallivanting with mortal women were the things of legend. There was Semele, the mother of Dionysus who was reduced to ash upon seeing the thunder god in all his glory. There was Leto, the mother of Artemis and Apollo, who was chased till the ends of the Earth due to her affair with Zeus. The list of victims rolled onward to infinity.

Agony and torment was all that followed physical passions with the slayer of titans. Hippolyta herself knew this best, she had repeatedly hammered these stories into the Amazons from birth to adulthood. So why had she done it? Why had she slept with the one being who was the epitome of the patriarchy she claimed to so greatly despise? He was the father of the very same demigod who had raped and ransacked their civilization! That alone should have been enough to warrant refusal from Hippolyta. But her Queen, her liege, her one time lover, had tossed all of it aside for an adventurous thrill.

Of all the Amazons present on the island this discovery stung Derinoe the most. Maybe this was why Eris had specifically told her? The magenta goddess reveled in the misery and suffering of others. Dissension nipped at her heels. Antipathy followed in the trail of her callous footsteps. What greater misery was there than knowing your once beloved soul-mate was nothing more than a liar?

Long ago, during the very inception of the Amazons, Derinoe and Hippolyta had been lovers. It was an age of true freedom and love. Some called their current inhabitancy of Paradise Island a golden age, but it was a hollow echo of what had once been for the Amazons. In her youthful prime Derinoe had been beautiful, her remarkable looks even gaining acknowledgment from Aphrodite. Her once lustrous eyes had captured the heart and soul of Hippolyta. They had been two peas in a pod.

The era of the Amazon had only just begun. Phillipus had not been Hippolyta's adviser then, that role being occupied by Derinoe. The two spent practically every minute of every day with one another. Whether sharpening their battle skills, or simply frolicking in the sun as young lovers often do. But in the flash of literal lightning that had all changed. The attempt on the Queen's life completely altered Derinoe's destiny.

It was late at night, following laborious delegations with the Spartans when Hippolyta had been attacked. An invisible enemy, still unknown to her this very day, had attempted to take the life of her Queen. There had been no time to awake the guards, to shout the Amazon battle cry- she had simply been forced to act. The unseen attacker wielded a magical blade shaped in the form of daggered lightening. It was probably the reason she had such disregard for Zeus, it was crafted in his symbol. Fighting with all her strength she managed to subdue the assailant, but at the cost of her own youth.

Following an unlucky slice from the enchanted blade her youth simply...vanished. There was no spell or incantation that any sorcerer or witch could conjure that could retrieve it; it was gone. As harrowing as that harsh realization was Derinoe had accepted it- at the time. She had done it out of duty and love for her Queen. But how foolish she had been to make that sacrifice for a truly fleeting emotion. Given that opportunity once more, in her present state, she would have taken the alternative.

Emotions compound and delude you in your youth- Derinoe was testimony to that. For all the love the elder Amazon possessed for Hippolyta, her Queen's simply withered away following those events. But who could truly blame her? How could anyone love a decrepit old crone like herself? Hippolyta had other lovers in the following centuries, but Derinoe held no animosity towards them. They were her sisters, fellow Amazons reborn from cruelty man had inflicted upon them. But Zeus..._Zeus_ was a man, a god none the less, but still a man.

Hippolyta was the greatest of all hypocrites. She constantly preached about the evils of man, their ways, their desires- but ultimately fell into the arms of one. She had not only lied to the Amazons but she had fostered an abomination with that man as well. Every oddity involving Diana made sense now. Her unnatural strength, her numerous blessings from the gods- it was due to her Olympian lineage. Of course Zeus would play favorites with his child.

The circumstances surrounding her daughter's birth were even more astounding now. What a well woven lie Hippolyta had conceived. To not only deceive her nation, but the gods as well took an incorrigible level of deception. Thirteen years of lies had to have taken it's tole on her, but the Queen's demeanor never hinted at even tiniest level of duplicity. Derinoe had to at least applaud her on that account. But that's where all admiration ended. Hippolyta had to pay for her fraudulence, and as the most loyal Amazon she would see fit to it.

_Alkyone was indeed right._

* * *

**Age 750 (2000), Karin Forest**

"For a child you are indeed quite gifted."

Twirling her sword Diana frowned as she settled into her battle stance. Normally such a remark during battle would've been admirable, but given the circumstances- she could've cared less about any praise. Mercenary Tao was truly a monster. He wasn't one in the mythological sense like the gorgons or the cyclops, but in the true literal definition of the term. His power was overwhelming, a seemingly never ending onslaught of tireless attacks confronted her from every possible angle.

But it wasn't just his power that made him one; it was his temperament. The sleekly dressed assassin had been contracted by the Red Ribbon Army to kill her, Goku, and to retrieve the Dragonballs. His intentions had been made vividly clear upon his arrival, killing Bora without a second thought. Her response had been immediate, blindly rushing into battle without a moment's hesitation. But that righteous anger turned out to be her downfall. Phillipus had often warned her about giving in to such emotions during battle.

It was due, largely in part to her rage, why Goku and herself had been out of synch during the battle. The two had built a good rapport with one another, becoming accustomed to their individual battle styles. But the two raven haired warriors had been completely out of touch this time. Blind fury tossing strategy out of the window. Against an opponent as skilled and ruthless as Tao; they paid for it.

Goku had nearly lost his life because of her foolishness, a Dodon Ray missing his heart by mere inches. Tao would've finished her off as well if not for a phone call he'd received about cloth tailoring. The fact that her life had been spared on such a nonsensical whim was as bone chilling as it was humbling. Having to bury her believed-to-be dead friend had been even more harrowing. But to her and Upa's surprise, Goku had miraculously survived his brush with death.

It was during their rather lengthy talk with Upa that the duo discovered a way to gain the strength necessary to defeat Tao. At the top of the nearby tower resided the sacred water, legend proclaimed it was able to double a person's strength. It was a risk, a big one at that, but with no other options the duo opted to try it. Goku climbed it while Diana remained in the forest with Upa. Someone needed to be there in case Mercenary Tao decided to attack again and sure enough; he did.

The red ribbon army associate returned to finish the job he had left behind. Without her trusted friend by her side the battle was even tougher challenge. Her rage had cooled, but one on one she was still outmatched by his power and skill. But she was an Amazon and would fight till the end if need be. Goku was depending on her, Upa was depending on her, and Bora needed to be avenged. She could not, and _would not fail_.

"Just shut up and fight." With those confident words the daughter of Hippolyta streaked into battle, reinvigorated by those trusting in her.

* * *

**Age 750 (2000), Red Ribbon Army headquarters**

"Attack! Attack! Attack!" The frantic shouts of the battalion's commander were nearly drowned out as gun fire exploded from all angles. Even with the overwhelming force the RRA was pouring the outlook of the battle was still extremely grim. Turning to his left flank the anthropomorphic commander glanced just in time to see his second in charge get knocked out by a kick to the stomach. A precise hand chop taking out his third in command.

"Damn it!" The frustrated soldier shouted as he picked up his walkie-talkie. "We need more reinforcements! Send more...!"

His sentence was left unfinished as an orange blur quickly dashed in front of him. Before the commander could even blink the device was in Goku's hands, crushed to pieces. Backing away slowly the soldier raised his hands in apparent defeat. Peering out of his peripheral he could see the battered remains of his troops.

"Do you give up?" The spiky haired boy asked as he jabbed him with his staff.

"Y-yes" was soldiers hasty reply. He stood no chance against the brute force that had just ransacked his battalion.

"Good." Goku happily sighed as he lowered his weapon. "I need to save my energy anyways. Geez this place is huge."

Rubbing the back of his head the Saiyan took a moment to observe his surroundings. This control tower was even bigger than the last! But it was at this exact moment when the Red Ribbon commander attempted to strike, drawing a gun that had been tucked away in his right pocket. Retreat was not an option for him. He saw how viciously General Blue's failure had been dealt with; he would not share the same fate. But before his hand could even extend to the unassuming child, the blunt end of a sword promptly knocked him unconscious.

"Goku!" Diana shouted, managing to shake her comrade from his reverie. "You have to be more careful, you can't just lose focus on an opponent like that." Hippolyta's daughter chastised as she motioned to the now discarded gun on the floor.

"But he gave up though." The spiky haired boy contested. It wasn't his fault his opponent had lied.

With deep sigh Diana paused as she pondered her next words. Goku was extremely naive, even for someone their age. But it wasn't his fault, it was largely due to the environment he was raised in. Grandpa Gohan had been the only human Goku knew until he met Bulma. Her friend knew little about the deceptions and lies that laid in man's world, which was both a blessing and a curse. His kindhearted nature was well meaning, but at times like this it was a detriment to him.

"You're a good person but you cannot expect the same from everyone Goku, especially during a fight."

"But why not?" Master Roshi's pupil asked in genuine confusion.

"Y-you just can't Goku." Diana frustratedly replied, her hands palming her head. "People will betray your trust at a moments notice,_ especially _one who is an enemy. This commander is proof of that."

Goku frowned still not truly understanding but eventually nodded to her words. "But I can trust you right Diana?" He asked with a hopeful smile as he glanced towards her.

"You can Goku, forever and always." The princess replied, her lips curling into a smile of her own.

"Great!" The boy joyously shouted, his full row of teeth now on display. "Now let's hurry and go, I bet this place has even more super powerful people than the last one did!" Reaffirming the grip on his power pole Goku dashed off down the empty corridor without a second thought.

Diana couldn't help but chuckle at her friend's exuberance and immediately followed his lead, the words she uttered moments ago still lingering in her mind.

_That trust may be put into question after this entire ordeal though. Please forgive for what I will have to do Goku. _

* * *

**Age 750 (2000), Fortuneteller Baba's Palace**

Watching from the sidelines Diana couldn't help but shed a tear at Goku's embrace with his Grandfather. He was an even greater person than her friend's often jumbled words could describe. The two had fought a ferocious battle, even greater than her own at the tournament. But just like their battle at the WMAT, this one hadn't been given a proper conclusion. Grandpa Gohan abruptly surrendered, shocking all of the spectators including Goku.

But the biggest surprise of all hadn't even been the revelation of his identity, it was the fact that he had somehow come back to life. Apparently Fortuneteller Baba had the ability to resurrect people from the dead, at least for a couple of days. Diana had been dumfounded by this, traveling through Hades gates was an extremely arduous task and the death god rarely allowed anyone to leave his domain. It was then that Diana discovered the existence of other realms.

The existence of other gods was a truth every Amazon knew. But for the most part they largely ignored all other pantheons. What purpose did they serve when the Olympians created and provided everything for them? Themyscira was a shrouded island that was specifically watched over by the Olympians. Until this moment Diana had never truly pondered the implications of this though. Even though other deities existed Diana had always assumed all mortal souls ended up in Hades. But the revelation of the "Other World" as the haggard witch had called it, introduced a new flurry of questions.

Just how powerful were the gods from Grandpa Gohan's pantheon? What did they require of their worshipers? What was their afterlife like? Why had she never heard of this pantheon before? Themyscira's library was extremely extensive and featured some of the most sacred literature in human history, so why hadn't she read of it? Maybe she just hadn't encountered a book containing their information, her native land's library was humongous after all. **[1] **

"Diana!"

At the mention of her name the princess instantly snapped out of her reverie, turning her full attention towards her caller.

"Fortune Teller Baba." Hippolyta's daughter replied as she laid eyes on the witch who was currently floating on her crystal ball. Truth be told Diana was slightly spooked out by the mage. Magic was something all Amazons knew about and dealt with, with but her particular brand made the hairs on her neck stand up for some reason.

"I've seen something in your future." At the mention of this Diana's brows rose. She hadn't asked for her divination and on top of that Baba charged a steep price for it.

"What do you mean?" Was the Amazon's inquisitive reply. Whatever it was...it sounded important.

"I was reading your fortune when suddenly my crystal ball went blank." Even though Baba hadn't been paid to read Diana's future her natural curiosity got the best of her. It wasn't everyday that she encountered someone who was from a race that was supposedly myth. Even more interesting was the face she was the princess of said race.

"What does that mean?" Diana responded in a more serious tone. Divination was an area she had no experience in, but whatever Baba was alluding to didn't sound good.

"Normally when I examine someone's fortune my crystal ball displays images of their future," Baba explained as she motioned to the orb she was seated on. "But in your case there was nothing. The ball was blank and fuzzy; I couldn't see anything."

Diana's face contorted at her words. From what Master Roshi had told her Baba was an extremely powerful witch. Her divination powers were unparalleled to anyone he knew. This was even more frightening considering the fact Master Roshi was hundreds of years old. _Does this have anything to do with the ominous feeling I had when Goku and I flew off from Penguin village?_

"I'm not sure what this means Diana but I'm warning you to be careful." The normally discourteous woman's tone turned dead serious as she gazed into Diana's eyes. "This hunt for the Dragonballs may not go as you planned."

"I...I will be." Hippolyta's daughter reassured with a wary smile. She had never considered death on her quest from the gods, but it was a very vivid reality now. "Now if you'll excuse I need to go talk to Goku about something." The Amazon said as she quickly sprinted off to her friend. Truthfully she had nothing to discuss with the Saiyan, but she didn't want Baba to see her fear about her message.

Sighing, the fortune teller rubbed her head as she watched the adolescent dash off. Her words hadn't been _entirely_ truthful. She had seen a glimpse of _something_ in the princess' future, but it was even worse than any description she could conjure.

_For once I hope my divination was wrong. If not...truly dark times await that girl._

* * *

**Age 750 (2000), Themyscira, The Dungeons**

Derinoe _hated _coming down here. It was the most dreaded location on the entire island for the Amazons. Just getting to it required an incredible number of steps down a cascading stairwell, not to mention all of the death traps you had to avoid. But as one of the oldest Amazons Derinoe knew route like the back of her withered hand. That didn't make the excursion any easier though, especially at this time of night. Her sight wasn't the best even with a recently lit torch guiding the way.

Centuries ago Hippolyta had decreed the dungeons be built. The Hercules invasion was still fresh on her mind and the Queen wouldn't take any chances in the future. Initially it was to be guarded 24/7 round the clock, but as time went by with very little prisoners, it nearly stopped being used all together. Over the millenia it had been used to punish Amazons for crimes, but nothing too serious for the most part. But there were a group of Amazons who had been imprisoned here for over a decade due to a deed that had been largely covered up.

Derinoe was one of the few who knew what had occurred on the night of Diana's birth and what those now imprisoned Amazons had intended to do. Loyalty to the queen was an oath that every Amazon, regardless of age, swore to. But on that night a battalion of Amazons betrayed that most sacred oath. They had nearly committed an unforgivable act. Those four Amazons had been some of Hipolyta's most trusted guards and due to that she didn't have the heart to kill them. Instead, Diana's mother ordered them to be imprisoned in the dungeons indefinitely. With an infinite lifespan, it was a fate almost worse than death.

"Alkyone." Derinoe whispered as she arrived at the first cell. She had been the mastermind behind their plot as well as the former captain of Hippolyta's royal guard.

"What do you want Derinoe?" An annoyed voice answered after a delayed pause. It had been years since she'd anything from her. Once, long ago, they had been friends but that had all changed with her imprisonment.

"I came to apologize."

"Apologize?" Alkyone retorted in a bewildered tone. "It's thirteen years too late for that!" Not once during her stay had the haggard Amazon bothered to pay her a visit.

"I know I didn't speak up in your defense at the trial." Alkyone's trial had been extremely quick and swift with no deliberations. No one, including Derinoe, had spoken in her favor.

"Have you merely come to remind me of that wretched day?" The former captain growled. If not for the jail bars Derinoe would've seen the literal daggers being glared at her.

"No," Derinoe meekly replied. Her anger was palpable, and rightfully so for what had been done to her. "I came to say you were right."

"I was right?" Alkyone parroted, moving closing to the bars that stood between them. Only three Amazons, who happened to be jailed along with her, had believed the prophecy about Diana.

"Yes you were right about everything. She is truly _the dragon_ you predicted her to be."

"What do you mean?" Alkyone demanded as her hands squeezed the bars that trapped her. Derinoe had been staunchly loyal to Hippolyta's daughter during that whole ordeal.

"The truth has finally been revealed to me sister. All will be unveiled to you as well..._after_ I free you."

* * *

**Age 750 (2000) Areopagus, The abode of Ares **

"So you still won't tell me what the end goal of your scheming is?"

"Nope." Strife nonchalantly replied with a shrug, the frown on her brother's face growing deeper.

"You know I could torture you until you disclose everything right? You are, after all, in my domain." Ares power was at it's peak in his realm. With the snap of his fingers he could easily summon his army to assist him if he wished it.

"Oh please brother enough with the empty threats. You and I both know you won't do it." The goddess of discord rolled her eyes as she took a sip from her glass of wine. Dionysus had specially brewed this concoction today.

"And why wouldn't I?" Ares inquired. In truth his sister was indeed right; he was merely bluffing. With as many enemies as he had on Olympus, the god of war didn't need to make one out of his only caring sibling.

"Because if you do that I won't tell you what Daddy's big secret is."

"Secret?" Ares absentmindedly mumbled to himself. "What secret? What is Zeus hiding from us? Tell me now before..."

Ares words were left trailing as Strife's finger silenced his lips. "Do you ever stop talking brother?" She huffed in an exasperated sigh. "I will tell you everything..._in due time_. You'll get to play a part in all this as well."

Ares scowled, nearly opening his mouth to voice his disapproval but silenced himself. "How long will all of this take?"

"Oh...not too long. Things down below are beginning to heat up as we speak. Just take a look." Strife said as she pointed to a portal displaying a live stream of the Earth. "They've finally collected all of the Dragonballs."

* * *

**Age 750 (2000), Karin Forest**

_My mother, the Amazons, and the gods themselves are depending on me...but how can I betray my friends? I knew it would come down to this eventually but...but...I never truly thought about the implications! Since I've met Goku he's become my best friend. Master Roshi, Bulma, Krillin, Yamcha, heck even Oolong have been nothing but kind to me. How can I repay them like this? How can I steal Upa's opportunity to see his father again? _

_Since birth I've been taught to abide by Amazon law. Mother ordered me not to return home until I completed my mission, and now I have. I could simply fly away and not look back but I would be betraying the best friend I've ever known. Mother also taught me to do what's right and follow my heart...but my heart is at conflict with her orders. Why did I have to be chosen for this mission? What do the gods even want with the Dragonballs? _

_Questioning them right now won't change my situation, so it's pointless anyways. I need to make a decision and fast. Goku's about to summon the dragon. Do I follow my orders and betray my friends? Or do I listen to my heart and go against everything I've ever known? Blessed and merciful Athena help me make the right decision!_

"Diana will you do the honors?" Goku asked with a cheeky smile as he placed the Dragonballs in her hands. "It's only fair since you've helped me collect so many of them."

_There's no more time to think...this is the moment of truth!_

* * *

**A big thank you to everyone who reviewed chapter 9! **

**Authors Note: **Only two more chapters to go until we're done with the Dragonball era in this story. As for all the reviewers who have been asking about Superman and Batman; they'll be appearing in the next two chapters. Till this point they haven't really been relevant to this story arc, but they will be now. We're finally getting to the actual meat of this story! The Saiyan saga starts in the next upcoming chapters.

**[1]: **As I've stated in previous chapters various pantheons of gods exist in this Universe. The Kai's are their own pantheon, the Olympians are their own pantheon and so on so forth. This of course means their respective versions of the afterlife exist as well. This is the first real mention of it in the story though. The Amazons are well aware of the existence of other deities but they have no real bearing on their lives. The Greek gods pretty much do everything for them. The mutual co-existence of these afterlives will be explained in greater detail later on in the story.

* * *

**Q/A:**

**Aztec 13: **I haven't read Superman Unchained.

**Tarrangar: **You're right it was a copout, but a necessary copout though. I didn't completely erase the possibility of non-DBZ characters being able to use Ki, I just said that for_** the most part **_they couldn't use it. Making everyone able to use Ki takes away from it's uniqueness and unnecessarily overpowers certain characters. Someone like Captain Marvel is already powerful enough but with the additional ability to use Ki it just makes him overpowered.

**Rowknan: **The previous chapter could have used a bit more body, but Dragonball is not the focal point of this story. Once we actually get to the meat of this story you'll look back and realize how insignificant it was for the most part. Also, I have a poll on my profile asking the preferred length of the chapters and 4-5K words has the most votes.

**Kabuto S. Inferno: **I hope this chapter didn't have as many grammatical errors as the previous one did. I'm not necessarily sure I'll do a BOG scenario in this story, but Whis and Beerus will most definitely be making an appearance.

**Darkmist111: **Gohan is named after Grandpa Gohan, there would be no need for a name change. Gohan isn't going to be a bookworm in this story.

**Guest: **Yes, I'll be adding DC heroes to the Saiyan and Frieza arcs.

**Lostgamer64: **The Justice League won't form, in full, for a while.

**Guest:** Like I said in the previous chapter; it's fan-fiction. If you want to see the canon pairings you can watch the series or read fan-fiction's with them in it. I'm not changing any of the pairings I have planned.

**Skelo: **It wasn't a plot hole. The previous chapter featured a time skip. Goku regrew his tail during that period.


	11. Quest of the gods IV

_Thoughts_

"Speech"

**Disclaimer: DC and DBZ belong to their respective owners; I own nothing.**

**Chapter 11: Quest of the gods IV**

* * *

**Age 756 (2006)**

Choices.

In life we are faced with several of them. From a child's birth up until his or her death they are assailed by them. Right or wrong. Good or bad. Destructive or productive. The choices we make, no matter how insignificant they appear weigh heavily on our lives. This was especially true for princess Diana. The choice she made six years ago at the tender age of thirteen had altered the course of her entire life.

She had been tasked by the gods and her nation to retrieve the Dragonballs. Being the obedient Amazon she was she had never questioned their authority..._at least initially._ But during the course of her travels with Goku and his friends, her mind and opinions had changed. Her Themysciran society was all she had ever known. As beautiful as the peace and tranquility of isolation away from mankind was, it allowed no room for progression as a society.

Ideals she had once held dearly had slowly dissolved and been altered. Man was not as wicked as she had been taught. Sure, there were sectors of mankind that were incorrigibly evil, but that was equally true for women as well. But no matter how great the evil, there was immense love as well. Her travels across the globe had showcased that. It was for that reason, and that reason alone why she had been unable to betray her friends at the most crucial of moments. How could she repay their kindness with the same treachery that had poisoned the Amazons centuries ago?

She couldn't.

In the heat of the moment when things finally came to a climax; she ran away. It was cowardly, _weak_, an act unbefitting of an Amazon, but she could not betray her dearest friend in such a way. Unable to continue any further she revealed her deception to Goku. Initially the Saiyan could not process what she meant. Betrayal was something that was almost completely foreign to him. It took careful wording before Master Roshi's favorite pupil fully digested her words.

His reaction was initially one of confusion, then anger and rightfully so. Their companionship had been built on a farce, a well woven string of half-truth's and lies. Goku was well within his rights to berate her, to scream at her, to chastise her in ways only her mother could- but he didn't. The look of shame and regret on his face was all that needed to be said. It was more than Diana's heart could bear. Releasing the Dragonballs to the floor, Hippolyta's daughter did what any scared child would do; she ran.

With the speed gifted to her by the sandals of Hermes the Amazon princess dashed off into the sky, never bothering to even look back. The waterfalls of tears obscuring her vision as she accelerated to the heavens. The immediate darkening of the sky following her departure let her know that Upa's wish had been granted. At least some good came from that day. With the shame still heavy on her mind Diana flew back to the makeshift camp she had made during the ordeal with Master Tao. Hastily retrieving her bare necessities she departed once more, leaving Goku and a world she had come to love behind her.

For days the Amazon had wandered around Chikyu questioning what to do. Initially she had thought to seek out her other friends help, but once word of her betrayal reached them, who would even want to even speak to her? Those days she spent alone flew by like a daze. Never had she felt so low, so uncertain, _so pertinent_. There was no where left for her in Chikyu. Even if her friends did somehow forgive her, the stains of her lies would haunt her forever. There was only one place she could go- Themyscira.

An immediate sense of dread hit her as she pondered her homeland. Her departure had been met with great joy and adulation. She was specifically hand chosen for a mission by the gods. Her mother had even told her not to return until the mission was complete. She had faithfully sworn to follow through with it! Not only had she been entrusted by the gods, and her mother, but the Amazons as well. Returning home empty handed would result in a less than icy reception the moment she reached her island's shores. But hiding wasn't an option anymore; she had to face her demons.

The flight home was anything but enjoyable. She was met foreboding storm clouds on her way back. Heck, there was a flock of Ravens circling just outside the invisible barrier that kept Themyscira hidden when she arrived. Landing on the hillside where she had initially encountered Goku, Diana had attempted to keep her movements as subtle as possible. If she could just reach the palace and discuss things with her mother, _maybe_, just _maybe_ she could fix things. But alas her plan was foiled as Dessa spotted her.

Being one of the loudest Amazons, as well as a member of the guards, Diana's arrival was something she could not keep hidden. Before she even reached the capitol word of her homecoming had spread like a wildfire. All of her fellow sisters, even Aleka, greeted her warmly as she stepped foot in Paradise City. Their excitement and joy almost made her wish she had retrieved the Dragonballs..._almost_. Her mother's beaming smile as she reached the palace nearly broke Diana's heart. She had no clue about the bad news she was about to share.

A great feast was prepared in her honor with every Amazon from coast to coast being in attendance. Hippolyta never bothered to ask about the location of the Dragonballs until the feast began. She was under the impression that they were being safely kept in her daughter's knapsack. But that notion would quickly be dispelled as Diana was lead to the temple to give the gods tribune. It was at this very moment when things all went south.

With the priestess there at Zeus statue Hippolyta ordered Diana to place the Dragonballs at his feet. Diana was of course hesitant, her face grimacing as she shook her head. Hippolyta, as well as legions of fellow Amazons stood in confusion at her daughter's headiness. But it all made sense as Diana explained what had occurred during her travels in man's world. Her mother was of course less than pleased to discover that her daughter had not only failed her mission, but had done so because of the very same male that had trespassed their island.

Fury was the emotion that resonated throughout the temple that day. Not only had Diana failed the gods- she had carried on with this foolish charade as well. For the first time in her life Diana felt true visceral fear. The entire scorn of the Amazons was upon her. This was something not even her mother could not save her from. Amongst the noise and ruckus a chant began, started by Derinoe, calling for her banishment. As angry as Hippolyta presently was with her daughter, this wasn't something she could even conceive doing.

But as the chants got louder, coalescing into a unified shout, the Queen realized her people would not be satisfied with anything else. Stuck between a hard place and a rock Hippolyta attempted to quell the crowd's rising anger. Derinoe had always favored Diana- why was she doing this? As foolish as her daughter's actions were, did they truly qualify banishment? Only the worst of the Amazons had been exiled. With their rage spreading like wildfire Hippolyta could no longer hold them back. If the Queen wouldn't do what was necessary the rest of the Amazons would.

But before they could do anything a bolt of lightning descended from the sky. In a flash the All-Father himself appeared before the Amazons. Every Themysciran descended to their knees, Derinoe doing so reluctantly. The last time Zeus and Hippolyta had met face to face had been under more passionate circumstances. This was his first full physical appearance to her in over a decade. Viewing the distress from his heavenly abode above, the father of the Olympians decided to personally settle the matter.

He knew of all the events that had occurred so far. He was after all the god who had called for their retrieval. He was indeed disappointed in his daughter's failings to secure the mystical orbs, but as the Skyfather he could play no favorites. Diana needed to be punished, and as dismayed as Hippolyta was; banishment was an adequate penalty. It was what the Amazons had demanded after all. Wasting no further time Zeus handed down his decree.

Diana immediately broke down as his words reached her ears. Fourteen years of exile, double the number of Dragonballs she had failed to retrieve. It wasn't an eternity like some previous Amazons had received, but at her age it felt like it. Over a decade away from home. All contact with the Amazons was to be ceased. Her next attempt stepping foot on Themyscira would result in trespassing that would be dealt with harshly. The next time she would see her mother was as an adult.

The All-Father was as least kind enough to let her grab her essential necessities before being exiled. Scrambling to her room she retrieved everything of value that could fit into her knapsack. Her most treasured of desires being the photo-book of pictures her mother had made for her. Leaving the palace behind had been an excruciating ordeal. It was the only place she had ever called home. But before she exited the gates her mother stopped her, handing her one object that would later prove to be invaluable.

There wasn't much time for Hippolyta to express her emotions to her daughter, so she did so swiftly. She had never been so angry and embarrassed by the actions of her daughter, but now was not the time chastise Diana. Handing her the lasso of truth, Hippolyta embraced her daughter in one last bone squeezing hug. It felt like an eternity but even that was too short as they quickly broke apart. With a tearful goodbye Diana departed into the night sky, rocketing away to lands unknown.

The first year of exile was the worst. She was lost, confused, and completely alone. She aimlessly wandered the Earth, settling in whatever country she happened to land in that day. Nights spent alone in caves, jungles, and rainforests gave her ample time to think. Failure was what she pondered the most. Her failure to stay true to her mission, her failure to remain true to her friends, her failure to adhere to the Amazon code.

But truly what was the Amazon code? It was supposed to be composed of virtues such as honesty. But she had been expected to deceive her companions to achieve her goals. In truth, from the very onset of her quest, she had gone against the Amazon's beliefs. Perfect adherence to the gods words was part of the code as well. Till this day she knew not what the gods had planned to do with the Dragonballs. They weren't even objects belonging to the Olympians so what did they need them for? As blasphemous as it was to say, the gods weren't always right. They could be as petty as any mortal.

Diana had always been an intelligent child, but those days spent alone gave her time to truly flourish her thoughts. As harrowing as her situation was, she was now free. Free from all obligations, the Amazons, and even her gods. She was alone but there was a powerful comfort in that. For the first time she could forge her own destiny. She could be more than the Queen's daughter, a warrior, a worshiper...she could be whatever she chose to be. Reinvigorated by that revelation she broke her seclusion from the world. There was a world out there waiting to be explored, places not even Goku had gone to.

Her next two years were spent in true exploration across the globe. She and Goku had only traversed a small fraction of man's world, she would see it in it's entirety. From the coasts of Italy, to the safari's in Africa Diana scoured the Earth. The beauty she saw was mesmerizing, but the wickedness was nightmarish. No matter what part of the planet she went to people were always trying to take advantage of one another. War, poverty, and crime were illnesses she saw everywhere. She made it her duty to fight them as best as she could everywhere she went.

Though continent hopping Diana made sure to keep track of Goku's movements. She never physically stepped foot in Chikyu but his escapades were becoming well known across the globe. His fight against the former assassin Tien Shinhan, in the 22nd Worlds Martial Arts Tournament had been the most watched event in American history. Unfortunately Goku had been defeated, but his name and fame grew exponentially.

Diana's name was also slowly making rounds across the globe. Her heroic efforts across various countries had warranted the attention. One newspaper had dubber her "Wonder Girl" due to her miraculous feats. She wasn't one to self aggrandize, but the name did have a certain undeniable ring to it. She even crafted a new outfit to suit her alter ego. It was only fitting after all. Using the money she had amassed from various jobs she had undertaken, Diana forged a costume that was heavily influenced by her Themysciran home. Thought exiled she would still represent her nation.

It was during this same period that the world face it's first supernatural challenge on a global scale. King Piccolo, an ancient demon sealed hundreds of years ago, had somehow escaped from his prison. Chikyu was the first to face his wrath, having already been his stomping ground centuries ago. The cataclysmic war with demon having nearly lead to Armageddon for Chikyu **[1]**. But this time the ancient monarch had decided to eliminate all potential adversaries immediately.

Dispensing his malevolent children, King Piccolo sent them on a quest to hunt down everyone who had ever participated in the Worlds Martial Arts Tournament. Krillin had unfortunately been a victim of this sadistic plot, being killed by Tambourine. Cymbal, another one of the Demon king's wicked spawns, had been assigned to assassinate her. Unlike Krillin Diana dispatched of the ghoul rather easily, slaying him without a moment's hesitation. After piecing together the rest of King Piccolo's plot Diana ventured to Chikyu. She was still unsure of where she stood with her former friends, but she would always help when they were in need.

But Diana's assistance proved unnecessary. Upon her arrival she discovered that King Piccolo had already been defeated. Goku somehow having managed to slay the demon. If his name wasn't already a household name- it exploded that day. Celebrations erupted across not only Chikyu, but the entire globe as news of this spread. Several countries had armed themselves for the inevitability of a war against Piccolo. If Chikyu had fallen things could have easily collapsed into World War 3. But with Goku's triumphant victory none of that was necessary anymore.

Diana however did not participate in any of the celebrations. Watching Goku's success was enough for her. The uncertainty of her reaction to his presence also made her hesitant to partake in it. However her own heroic actions did not go unnoticed. Returning to her new base of operations in Boston, the exiled princess of Themyscira was unexpectedly greeted by Kami. It didn't take long for Diana to decipher that she was in the present of a deity. His regality alone gave it away.

The green god, who oddly enough looked like King Piccolo, personally thanked Diana in her assistance in the battle. Though she hadn't defeated King Piccolo, her actions in slaying his son saved innumerable lives. During their long discussion it was revealed that Kami was the creator of the Dragonballs. Not only was he their father, but he knew of her long ago discarded plot to capture the Dragonballs. Shame and regret instantly washed over her as she began to apologize for actions, but Kami simply dismissed her concession.

He was aware of the Olympians and Zeus ever present paranoia **[2]**. The king of the gods had after all killed his own father to take the throne. Who knew who could be plotting against him? At any moment Kami could've stepped in and warned Goku or simply turned the Dragonballs dormant; but he didn't. He put great faith in Diana and foresaw her quest having great importance with the balance of the Earth. His trust had proven to be warranted as Diana followed her heart and conscience in the end. The Olympians plans with the Dragonballs were still unknown, but for the moment it seemed they had acquitted that desire.

They talked for hours. It wasn't everyday a god strolled into your house unannounced, and the exiled princess did hold an intellectual conversation better than Goku. The topic of gods weighed heavily during their discussions. Kami could not answer all of her questions but did the best he could. Finally at the end of their dialogue the god revealed that King Piccolo had reincarnated himself. This news of course stunned and angered Diana. Why wasn't Kami doing anything about it?

Though Piccolo Jr was the spawn of his father, he was only a child whose destiny was yet to be forged. He had as much right to chose his own path as Diana did. The creator of the Dragonballs was indeed right- nothing was set in stone. He also informed her that Piccolo Jr would most likely participate in the upcoming tournament in three year's time. Three years would be ample time to hone her skills to a level capable of taking down anything thrown her away. And most likely Goku would participate as well. She would use that opportunity to right to two wrongs.

And so her training commenced. Three years of rigorous training, crafting her skills to new found levels. Goku had managed to defeat King Piccolo but who knew how powerful his last offspring would be? King Piccolo had nearly destroyed Chikyu. If his son was anywhere near as evil as him, the Earth was in serious trouble. Even while banished she still upheld the Amazon training regime.

Her power had grown exponentially from last encounter with Goku. The strength she had been overcome by during her battle with Aleka all those years ago, was slowly becoming her own **[3]**. Goku had undoubtedly grown stronger during that period as well, but the confidence in her power was nearly absolute now. No longer did she need Hermes sandals to fly, the ability had grown naturally in her. She was still extremely curious as to how that could be, considering no other Amazon possessed that ability.

The time had quickly flown by. Months breezing by like days as the time rolled forward. No longer was Diana a child, she was now a legal adult, by American laws and Amazon laws. She had matured not only physically but mentally as well. Her innumerable adventures had crafted and shaped her new worldview. Her escapades and exploits were now world renown across the globe. It was time for her to truly reveal herself to the globe. No reporter had ever managed to get an interview with her, but that all change at the tournament. It was time for Wonder Girl to make her official debut.

The 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament was expected to be the largest and most grandiose of them all. The Capsule Corporation had taken over it's financial duties. With arguably the world's largest company sponsoring it, no expense would be spared for anything. The arena this year was much larger. Following Tien's win in the 22nd tournament construction had immediately begun. The new stadium housed more than one hundred thousand people easily.

The Capsule Corps technology allowed for better seating, as well as the world's largest video screen. The screen was so large Diana could see it from the boat on the way to the island. The stadium floor was also larger this year, fitting with the size of the arena itself. The cash prize had also tripled. But the most important addition this year, was generated force fields that would now protect the audience from any potential harm.

In previous years stray Ki beams had almost always put the audience in harm's way. Diana knew this from experience. Her swatting of Goku's Kamehameha in a previous tournament had nearly fried the front row of spectators. But now once anything got within a certain length of the crowd, a force field would automatically generate to protect them. The strength of these force field's was unknown to Diana but this was certainly a step up from previous tournaments. Now contestants could go all out without fear of recklessly endangering someone like they did in the past.

* * *

**Age 756 (2006), Papaya Island **

Standing at the docks Diana took a moment to fully inhale the sights of her surroundings. The boat ride here had been long and tiring. America geographically wasn't that far from Chikyu, but Boston was on the other side of the country. She had been forced to cross two oceans just to get here. Of course she could have flown, but the exiled princess did not want to attract any unnecessary attention.

For the time being she would remain hidden. That however would be a tough matter. The cloak she had purchased just days earlier before her trip helped conceal her body, but her height still made her stick out like a sore thumb. At six foot one inch, Diana towered above the rest of the people at the dock. And as well as her cloak concealed her face, it could not hide her frame. It was obvious a woman was beneath those clothes.

As she sauntered through the crowds of exiting passengers the stares and finger pointing became more obvious. In truth Diana's height wasn't that astounding. She was indeed taller than the average woman, but in comparison to the people at the docks- she was a giant. A large portion of the people there were animals, and miniature ones at that. She had passed several groups of child sized canines.

As annoying as the stares were growing to be, they were nothing new. From her first heroic deed under the adopted moniker "Wonder Girl", she had attracted attention rescuing Steve Trevor from a plane crash **[4]**. It wasn't everyday a flying girl appeared on the scene of an accident. That was the incident that had first gained her national exposure. Saving the son of a five star general, in broad day, with numerous cameras present, propelled her to instant fame. Fame that had now attracted the attention of one particular gentleman.

"Master Bruce what is it?"

The young man in question squinted as his gaze fell upon Diana. From her body language it was obvious she was trying to hide something, but was doing an awfully poor job at it.

"That woman...there's something about her." The Wayne heir couldn't quite put his finger on it, but he had the oddest feeling he had met her before. Unbeknownst to him he had indeed met her, last year, during a hostage crisis at the Wayne Enterprises building. The exiled princess had been touring the city of Gotham when news of the crime had been broke. A former angry employee had taken all his investor's hostage in hopes of revenge for his firing. Diana had succinctly handled the situation, incapacitating him before a single round was shot.

"Maybe she's one of the _lovely _ladies who have frequented your bed? The cloak could be to hide from her embarrassment. We both know how the media loves to portray you." Alfred offered as he watched Hippolyta's daughter make a beeline for the nearest street.

His butler and old friend had quite the knack for making snarky comments. Rolling his eyes the billionaire ignored the remark. "None of the women I've been with have had an aura like that. Trust me I would know." As much as the paparazzi and mainstream media loved to portray him as chauvinistic idiot; he wasn't. It was all a carefully controlled act.

"I have a feeling we'll run into her again though."

"Speaking of running," Alfred began as he glanced down at his watch. "Don't you have a meeting to attend before the tournament begins?"

Palming his forehead Bruce sighed in irritation. He had almost completely forgotten about his prior engagement with Bulma. They were supposed to do a meet and greet before the preliminary rounds. God how he hated those things. Seeing the heirs of two of the worlds biggest companies together would not only boost the tournaments profile, but help his companies branding and marketing as well. Taking note of the time he decided he could spare a few more extra minutes.

"Fondness makes the heart grow fonder doesn't it Alfred?" The chamberlain could only nod his head in agreement. "I haven't seen Bulma since we were children, but I''m sure a _few_ more minutes won't hurt." _And hopefully it will give me time to locate that girl. There's something special about her...I just know it!_

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**A big thank you to everyone who reviewed chapter 10! **

**Authors Note: **Only one more chapter to go before we exit the Dragonball era of this story. I'm planning to go out with a bang. The next chapter should hopefully be the longest one I've written thus far. Superman will finally make an appearance in the next chapter. I know a lot the reviewers have been asking about him and waiting for him to show up again. Just a forewarning there will be one last final time-skip before the Saiyan Saga. Don't be surprised.

I know I skipped over a great number of things doing this time skip. What happened with Tien and the League of Assassins? What were adventures Diana went on? And numerous other things. But as I mentioned in chapter 8, if the interest is there I will write about various events that took place, after the main story is concluded.

Last but not least I'd like to give a big thank you to Dragonballrevisted on Deviantart for drawing the first piece of artwork related to this story. (It's my Avatar btw).

**[1]: **Originally referenced in **Chapter 4: Journey to the East**

**[2]: **The Greek gods and Kami are aware of one another and vice versa. Kami's divine sight allows him to see the Earth in it's entirety, including Themyscira. As the representative of his pantheon on Earth he is aware of all potential threats. He is not Omniscient, but his divine sight allows him to see it. Kami cannot view Olympus though, due to it being in a realm out of his jurisdiction.

**[3]: **Occurred in** Chapter 5: The Monkey and The Eagle**

**[4]: **Yes, Diana and Steve Trevor have met in this story. Their origin story is drastically different though. This initial meeting will come into play later down the line in the story.

* * *

**Q/A:**

**RecklessBaka: **I've seen a few episodes of Dragonball Super and I think it's been pretty pointless till now. It's just recounting what we already know happened in BOG with a few changes. I'm really waiting until they introduce a new story arc we haven't seen before.

**Breakawayfan:** Can't spoil that info lol

**Kabuto S. Inferno:** As I've said in previous chapters this isn't one specific version of Superman, or any of the DC characters for that matter. I'm pooling from a wide variety of sources here. This version of Superman is pretty much one that I've personally amalgamated. As far as his power set? It'll pretty much be the basic heat vision, flight, super strength and etc. Though the power of those abilities is a different matter all together. I intend to do all of DBZ, the recent movies may not be included though. This is going to be a pretty long story. The story itself is fairly easy for me to write, it's just finding the time and forcing myself to actually write that's the problem lol.

**Jason123:** That determination will be explained in future chapters.

**Neobahamut86:** Chichi's tone has seemed fine to me. She's a bratty kid at this point, but I haven't characterized her as being completely negative. She still has good qualities.

**Darkmist111: **You'll just have to read and find out.

**Lostgamer64: **Goku and Superman are listed as the main protagonists for this story, but truthfully it doesn't have one. In the fourth chapter I did some explaining about the rest of the DC Universe in this story.

**Spencerlonewolf:** Glad someone noticed where I got Alkyone from. The JSA is probably not going to make an appearance in this story. The League of Assassins has already appeared though.

**Knight25:** We already know how Kryptonians gain their powers, so I think it would be pretty redundant to explain it again. Static Shock and Hotstreak have nothing to do with the Justice League and probably won't appear.

**TheSkyBreakerV1: **At the beginning of the "Quest of the gods" story arc I mentioned that the following chapters would have a lot of time skips.

**Innocentsmilehehe:** Other pantheons like?

**Tango Charlie: **At the end of the previous chapters I forewarned my readers that the next couple chapters would feature time skips. On my profile it states that I'm a fan of eccentric pairings. Don't expect to see a lot canon pairings in any of my stories. The talks between the Olympian gods are a necessary and essential part of the plot...I'm not going to skip over them. I appreciate the suggestions and help but I already have a lot of the story planned out. Thanks for the review.

**Chris:** Yes, the Justice League will appear. As far as the Justice League killing? It's something I'll deal with when the time comes. I took your advice and came up with a tier system. It'll show up in future chapters.


	12. Quest of the gods V

_Thoughts_

"Speech"

**Disclaimer: DC and DBZ belong to their respective owners; I own nothing.**

**Chapter 11: Quest of the gods V**

* * *

**Age 756 (2006), Papaya Island**

"God I hate doing these things." Bruce mumbled to himself as he approached the podium. Sighing as he straightened his jacket the Wayne heir forced a smile. His job as CEO of Wayne tech allowed him a great number of fantastic opportunities, however speaking engagements such as these weren't one of them.

Turning to his partner in crime, Bulma, the raven haired Billionaire could see she was enjoying this just as much as he was. Promoted to the head of marketing, Bulma was now the face of Capsule Corps. Her father still ran day to day operations though- it was far too mundane for her. But the lavender haired woman was now in charge of expanding her corporations brand, and what better way to do that than by sponsoring the most popular fighting tournament on the face of the Earth?

Bruce had been sucked into this whole situation because of his former childhood friend. He had been told it was an amazing business opportunity, and indeed it was. But up until a few days ago he had been under the false notion that the contracts he'd signed approving the joint venture between their two companies had been enough. It wasn't until earlier this week that Alfred had notified him that the contracts included a public appearance clause. He knew he should have personally read them instead of handing them over to his long indentured friend. This was probably his butlers way of forcing him out the mansion.

So instead of continuing his strict eight hour per day training regime, he was here, about to give an entirely contrived speech. Crime in Gotham never took a day off so how could he afford to? He had only just begun his campaign to change his hometown, and menial breaks such as this one could rarely be afforded **[1]**. But on the bright side this presented him with a chance to see the 'Meta-Humans' as the media had dubbed them. Ever since his employees rescue at the hands of Wonder Girl, Bruce had been _slightly_ obsessed with finding more information about the mysterious heroine. Goku was sure to attend as well, he had participated in the previous few tournaments.

_Maybe even Superboy will participate as well. This really doesn't seem like his type of gig, but I can only hope. If he does I might just be able to..."_

"Bruce!" Bulma's piercing voice, along with a sharp elbow brought the Billionaire out of reverie. They had silently been standing at the podium for the past five minutes. Bruce's mind was obviously somewhere else. If she had to deal with another camera flashing in her face, she would make sure her former friend's stay in Chikyu would anything but pleasant.

"As I was saying," Bruce coughed into his hand, wincing slightly as Bulma's elbow brushed a bruise from his training only days earlier. "WayneTech proudly welcomes you to our first sponsored..."

"Aherm" Another elbow nudge followed as Bulma glared at the raven haired man.

"_Co-sponsored _tournament" Bruce quickly corrected himself as he forced another smile. _That one hurt even more than the last._"With that said I'd like to hand the mic over to my business partner, Bulma, and let her finish the introductions."

There was noticeable shock and anger on lavender haired woman's face as the microphone was abruptly placed in her hands. _That jerk! _Bulma angrily grumbled to herself as all attention shifted towards her. Bruce was supposed to be doing all the speaking today. She was merely there to act as the face of her father's company. There was no prior speech written out, but she would have to make due on the fly.

"As Bruce was saying," Bulma began, continuing the Wayne heir's train of thought. "The Capsule Corporation and WayneTech would like to thank you all for being here for this momentous occasion. This is not only a landmark day for our companies, but the world as a whole. It's a tremendous honor to be sponsoring what we believe will the be the largest, and most watched sporting event, in human history." Bulma paused momentarily as clapping ensued.

"Not only will this tournament provide profound entertainment, but it will also be used as a test run for our shield generators. They have been used before, but never on a scale such as this. The power of the participants today will test their true girth. If proven successful this will be the first stage of Capsule Corps plan to eliminate civilian causalities in war."

_Wow she's really pulling this off. _Bruce thought in surprise as he joined the next round of applause. _Her ability to think on fly might be even better than mine. _

"But I believe we've heard enough blabbering from me and the playboy over here." Bulma said as she lightly prodded Bruce with her arm, eliciting laughter from the crowd. "It's time to let the fun and games really begin. I'd like to hand the mic over to host and announcer of the tournament." Bulma turned to her right as a familiar blonde haired man approached the stage.

"That was a fantastic job on your part." Bruce leaned over, smirking as he whispered into Bulma's ear.

"Oh shut up." The heiress growled in annoyance as she attempted to maintain a calm visage. The announcer's speech had just begun and cameras were still focused on her. It would be a pr disaster if she lost her cool in a moment like this.

"What?" Bruce feigned ignorance as Bulma's fake smile grew larger, she had to play to the crowd. He was having almost _too_ much fun doing this.

"You asshole, nothing about you has changed since we were kids." Bruce had always enjoyed messing with her as children. He somehow always knew what would tick her off, and it didn't help that she was quite sensitive either.

The WayneTech CEO simply chuckled at her response. Remarks like those were ones he heard far too often from the women he paraded around Gotham. Unbeknownst to her though, Bruce had long ago dropped his childish antics. A lot had changed since their last meeting at his parents funeral. But he still had a public persona to uphold.

"Look how about we discuss this later? After this media circus gets done?" Bruce posited as he struck a pose for nearby camera man. This was becoming a bit tedious.

"Fine." Bulma begrudgingly conceded as she winced from the light of yet another camera flash. They did have a lot of catching up to do.

**Age 756 (2006), Papaya Island, Outside the stadium **

Diana sighed as she stared at the entrance to Worlds Martial Arts stadium. The walk here had taken much longer than expected. The island was far larger than she remembered it being. She could have easily used her super speed and arrived here in seconds, but she wanted to do a bit of sight seeing first. It had been years since she set foot here. The hunt for the Dragonballs, the fight with the RRA, her first WMAT..all felt like centuries ago. Goku had been a pure energizer bunny the second they'd arrived for the competition.

_Goku. _

A sad smile crossed her face as she thought about her one time friend. Just mentioning his name elicited feelings she couldn't subside. Her memories with him were still as vivid as day. His oddly shaped hair, his child-like mannerisms, his voice...it all came rushing back to her. It was almost as if he were actually there.

_Wait a minute._

Rotating her head as she gazed over her shoulder, Diana's eyes fell upon the Saiyan. She wasn't hallucinating after all! Gathered with a small crowd of their old friends Goku appeared to be catching up on old times. With her hearing as sharp as ever, Hippolyta's daughter eavesdropped on the conversation. Goku had spent the past three years traveling and intensely training. Though Diana lacked the ability to sense Ki she could practically feel the energy radiating off of him. Their paths seemed to have mirrored one another.

"Have you heard any word from Diana since then Goku?" Master Roshi inquired as he eyed his former student. Goku had long ago surpassed him, but still held him in high regard as his sensei.

"No." Goku replied as he frowned bitterly. Her near betrayal had hit him like a ton of bricks. But ever forgiving, the Grandson of Gohan had left that in the past. What stung the most was her abandonment. All their battles, all their adventures...thrown out the window. While traveling he had done his best to find her, picking up bits and pieces of her possible location but never once ran into her. It was his greatest failure.

Diana could hear the agony and sadness in his voice as he recounted the struggle he had gone through for her. Even after what she had nearly done he still cared for? He still worried about her? He still missed her? She didn't know how to react to any of it. She wasn't deserving of his friendship of his forgiveness either. Though she felt unworthy she couldn't let her friend be burdened by such sadness any longer. Flipping completely around Diana began marching towards him.

"Uh...Goku...do you know that person standing behind you?" Puar gulped as a hooded figured hovered over the Saiyan's shoulder. She did look quite intimidating.

"Goku..it's me." The exiled princess sighed heavily as she slowly let down her hood. An echo of gasps followed as everyone's eyes realized who it was.

"Di-Diana?" Goku mumbled in shock as he turned to face her. Her blue eyes were as misty as ever. Her jet black hair extended well over her shoulders. Her gaze met his at eye level. She had grown tremendously since their last encounter. "W-wow" Was all the Saiyan managed to stutter out.

"You can say that twice." Oolong mumbled as a line of drool trickled out of his mouth. Diana had been a cute kid...but her transformation into some Greek goddess was a complete surprise.

Master Roshi was doing the best to compose himself at the moment, but his mind was running wild with ideas. _Goku and Diana are the same age right? That means she should be legal now. Wow...just wow! Who would've thought she would grow into this? I bet that sword of hers is as sharp as ever though!_ The turtle hermit gulped as he eyed her waist, looking for any noticeable bulge. He would be best off saving those lewd comments for himself.

"You...got...taller." A small sweat drop floated down Diana's face as she heard his remark. He was still the same Goku she remembered.

"So did you." Goku was now her exact height. His boyish features had grown into more manly, chiseled features. His muscles were more greatly defined. In truth, Diana had to admit- Goku was quite handsome now.

"H-how have you been?" Diana nervously muttered. This was so unlike her. She was usually cool, calm and collected. But seeing Goku after all these years, under these circumstances was...nerve racking to say the least.

"I've been great!" Goku cheerfully responded, his smile instantly wiping away any hesitations Diana held. "I've been training. Lots and lots of training. Getting stronger and preparing for today. Doing a lot of eating too, can't train on a hungry stomach."

Hippolyta's daughter couldn't help but chuckle at Goku's rambling, he did have a tendency to get off track.

"But overall I've been good..._since_ you ran away." The lighthearted mood of the conversation halted immediately as those words departed Goku's lips. The elephant in the room was bound to show up sometime.

"I didn't want to run away Goku." Diana cringed as memories of Karin forest flooded her mind. "But my guilt wouldn't allow me to stay." She ran like a coward, too ashamed to confront her actions.

"Why did you lie though? Why didn't you just tell me the truth?" Goku would have been more than willing to help if he knew she had been given a mission by her gods.

"Because it was _my_ duty and mine alone. The gods themselves gave it to me and it was supposed to be a secret. Plus I didn't initially trust you after you stumbled across Themyscira."

"I did kind of almost get myself killed that day didn't I?" Goku laughed as he rubbed the back of his head in remembrance. Diana's mom would have finished him if Strife never showed up.

"I'm still sorry about that too. Our laws regarding men are a bit strict."

"A bit strict? Try homicidal." Oolong interjected, earning a scowl from Diana. "And I'll just keep myself out of this conversation from now on. Shutting up now." The shape-shifter said as he took a step back. It wasn't his or anyone's place but Goku's to speak.

"Ignoring that." Diana said as she parted one last glare to the pig. "Our cultural customs and code wouldn't let me. I know it seems foolish but it's just how I was raised. It's how we Amazons do things."

"Amazons lie, cheat, and steal?"

Though exiled Diana still considered herself a Themysciran. The question posed to her was down right offensive, and would've elicited violence if someone like Aleka was here. But in truth Goku's question was a fair one especially after what he had dealt with from her people.

"No Goku Amazons don't lie, cheat and steal. Well we're not supposed but some do anyways. My actions were my own and are not indicative of all Amazons. I should have been honest with you from the start. I betrayed my own value system trying to accomplish the task given to me." Till this day the question of duty vs morality weighed on her mind. To complete her duty she would've been forced to discard her values completely.

"I'm sorry Goku for everything. The lies, the half-truths, running away," Diana's eyes began to swell as the pool of emotions began building up inside her. Those days of isolation, feeling sorry for herself, the loneliness. "The cowardice I showed you, the deception, the advantages I took of you, the..."

Diana's words came to a halt as a strong pair of arms wrapped her into tight hug. "It's okay Diana...I forgive you." Goku whispered into her ear as he held her closer. The tears that managed to slip out during her impassioned speech began to recede as she reciprocated him. How could he be so forgiving?

"I might not understand all these Amazon rules and codes but I know they're important to you. I wish you would have just told me from the jump, but what's in the past is in the past now."

Diana's hands moved to wipe her face as she slowly nodded her head. She had Goku's acceptance now. "I know nothing I can say or do will ever make up for my mistakes, but I'm so grateful you forgive me."

"But you know me though Diana, I'm not the type to hold grudges." The Saiyan was indeed right. Even while facing the most malignant foes Goku still always offered them a chance for redemption.

"Looking back it was pretty stupid of me to just run away." Diana sighed as she palmed her forehead. All this hardship could have been easily avoided, but at least there was a lesson to be learned from this all.

"Not as stupid as that hat Oolong has on though." Goku whispered as he quickly leaned over to Diana's ear. Muffled laughter was heard as she tried to contain her rather loud sniggering, which earned her a raised brow from the shape shifter. He was wearing a beanie in one hundred degree weather.

"Oh Goku you'd better hurry up!" Master Roshi interrupted, taking note of the time. "You're going to be late for the punching machine."

"Punching machine?" The befuddled Saiyan asked as he scratched his temple.

"It's a new addition to this year's tournament Goku," Diana quickly answered. It was one of several new innovations that the Capsule Corporation had introduced. "It's basically a replacement for the qualifier rounds. Bulma thought it would be a good way to reduce injuries."

"Bulma's participating in the tournament? Wow she must have gotten really strong over the years then!" A collective sweat drop ran down everyone's face as they stared at Goku's gaping mouth. _Still the same as I remember him. _

"I'll bring you up to speed on the way inside Goku." Latching onto her friend's hand the exiled princess marched him towards towards the tournament gates. They didn't have time to spare.

* * *

**Dragonball: DC**

As eccentric as always, Goku had spent the majority of his training in seclusion. With a totally devoted mindset the Saiyan had spared no moment keeping up with the news. That wasn't much of a surprise though considering the fact Diana had never seen him view it all during their adventures. His obliviousness to the new information regarding the tournament made much more sense now. He was rather fortunate that the competition always took place on the same day.

The duo had done a lot of catching up following their entrance into the stadium. A lot had changed during the six years they'd been apart. Bulma had been promoted to the head of marketing and was now a major player in the corporate world. She was also the one responsible for all the brand new innovations being introduced today. Goku was now a world renown hero, which was evident as ever following the large crowd of people that presently gathered around them. Diana had gained a fair share of recognition but nothing on the same scale as Goku's. He was practically a national treasure.

The punching machine had been rather easy. Goku and Diana had both decided to take it easy, not wanting to overexert brand new technology but still managed to place the highest scores. That was until Krillin and the others had shown up. Krillin, Yamcha, Chiaotzu and Tien blew Goku and Diana out the water with Tien scoring the highest of them all. Diana had never met the cyclops before but his reputation proceeded him. Tien and Chiaotzu were both ex-members of the League of Assassins, a group shrouded in mystery. Diana had dealt with one of their operatives last year and they certainly lived up to their name. But if Goku was willing to trust them- she could do the same.

The embrace between old friends was tender and emotional. Krillin and Yamcha had been stunned seeing Diana again. Goku had told them of her near betrayal- they were flabbergasted to say the least. But they were quickly informed of their reconciliation following a lengthy apology. The Lone Wolf and the former monk didn't seem to be able to hold grudges either, and forgave their old friend as well. Tien and Chiaotzu sympathized with her, knowing exactly how it felt to be in her shoes.

All in all things appeared to be going good until a long forgotten face showed up in line for the punching machine.

"300?! T-that c-can't be right." A tournament officiator mumbled in shock as he gaped at the flashing series of sequential digits.

"You're damn right it is! Bet it's the highest number you've seen all day too." A rather smug woman said as she flexed her right arm. "I've been waiting a long time for this day."

"It's even higher than Goku's!"

"Goku?!" A shrill cry erupted from the woman's lungs as she leapt over and grabbed the unsuspecting officiator by the collar. "He's here? Where?" She demanded as violently shook the poor man.

"O-o-over there." The man's trembling finger directed as he pointed towards the large crowd by the stadium's left wing. Without further warning the raven haired woman dropped the officiator to the ground, leaving him in a collapsed heap as she stomped over to her target.

"Uh...Goku." Diana began as she tapped the Saiyan on the shoulder. There was a woman menacingly marching towards their group with nothing but contempt in her eyes. The Saiyan remained inattentive, failing to look up until it was too late.

"Goku!"

The Saiyan had been completely enthralled by his conversation with Krillin, totally forgetting his surroundings allowing the agitated woman to sneak up on him. Wincing at the pain from such high decibels, the Saiyan turned his full attention towards her.

"Yes?" His rather casual response seemed to further anger the woman as the frown on her face deepened.

"Is that all you have to say after all these years? Not even a hello?" Pouting, the raven haired woman folded her arms over her chest in frustration. That jerk!

"Am I supposed to remember you?" Goku pondered as he scratched his head. This was the second time today that this was happening to him. His interactions with women were limited so this came as a complete surprise.

"Really? Seriously?!" Yamcha and Krillin exchanged befuddled glances as the woman's tone grew more animated. Seriously who was this chick?

Tien and Chiaotzu were as confused as everyone else. During their tenure in the League of Assassins they had been tasked with learning everything about their targets. When their sights had been set on Goku the duo had a thorough investigation on everyone in his life...the woman in front of them was not in their files **[2]**.

"I know it was couple years ago but I didn't think you'd forget about me so soon." Her voice trembled, barely over a whisper as a lone tear slipped from her eyes. At this point Diana decided to intervene. Goku could be rather clueless but not to the point he caused emotional distress to anyone.

"Look I know Goku can be forgetful sometimes but he doesn't mean it." Diana apologized as she placed a comforting hand on the girl's shoulder. With her back still turned the girl continued sobbing, her cries turning into wailing. _Looks like I'll have to take a different approach. _

"I appreciate your sentiments," The girl began as she turned to face the consoling voice. "But this is between me and..._Diana?!_"

"Chichi!?"

Mutual confusion crossed both their faces as they eyed one another. From a distance Diana had failed to get a proper view Chichi, her rather long hair had further helped to obfuscate her view. It had been years since they had encountered one another in person but those mannerisms were a dead give away. Chichi had grown tremendously in stature and beauty. She would have been the most beautiful girl at the tournament if not for Diana's presence.

"Wait a minute." Chichi said as she quickly glanced back and forth between Diana and Goku. "You two are married aren't you?" An accusing finger was pointed towards Diana as the Ox-King's daughter stood on the tips of her toes.

"M-Married?" Goku and Diana muttered in shock. Sharing bewildered glances the best friends blushed as they attempted to jumble words together.

"D-Diana and I are just friends."

"G-Goku and I are close...but not like that."

Master Roshi and rest of Goku's companions all burst into laughter as the exiled princess and the Saiyan attempted to diffuse the situation. Words kept randomly sputtering out of their mouths. But with every denial the pair's faces grew redder. While they may not have been married, it was obvious there was something more than just friendship felt between the two.

"Goku has all the luck." Yamcha sighed in frustration as he overlooked the rather hilarious scene. Two beautiful brunette's were arguing over him.

"Well you kinda did dump Bulma." Krillin said with shoulders raised towards his friend. They had a great relationship at one point until Yamcha had decided to end it for whatever reason. There was no one to blame but him.

"So you're not married then?" Chichi asked in a hopeful tone as Goku and Diana immediately shook their heads. There was still a chance then.

"You're still on this mad quest to marry Goku?" They had been children the last time they encountered one another. What did anyone know about marriage and it's full responsibilities at that young of an age?

"I told you then and I'm telling you now...marriage isn't a joke."

"I know that!" Chichi shouted in anger as she took a step towards Diana. The Amazon towered over her but she wasn't afraid at all. "I'm not going to let you have him."

Growling in annoyance Zeus' daughter palmed her forehead. This was going to be a long day. "Goku isn't some toy...some_ object._ He's his own person and individual free to make his choices. I won't let you coerce and bully him into something he doesn't want."

"But how do you know he doesn't want it?" Chichi posed with a smug smirk on her face. Goku had certainly developed enough to be cognizant of his own actions as far as her marriage proposal was concerned.

"Well...actually...I don't." Diana admitted with a scowl. In truth she was being hypocritical. Here she was speaking in place of her friend, not even allowing him to make his own choices. "Is this what you want Goku?" She asked as she finally turned over to her spiky haired companion.

"I-I don't know. I don't wanna see Chichi sad or angry but this marriage stuff doesn't sound too fun." The Saiyan admitted as his lips curled into a slight frown. Goku was a free spirit and Chichi didn't seem like the type that would let him truly be himself.

"B-but why?" Chichi quickly questioned back. "I'll cook, I'll clean, and I'll make sure to keep you happy."

"There's more to marriage than just that." Chichi's world view concerning marriage was rudimentary at best. But it was to expected for someone her age. On Themyscira marriage was a sacred vow and union which was taken with utmost seriousness. Amazons were immortal so 'until death' truly took another dimension. You and your spouse were bound together until the end of time under the watchful eyes of the gods.

"Why don't you just butt out? Goku doesn't even want you. If he did he would have made it clear by now. Don't be mad at me because of what you can't have."

"What I can't have?"

"Goku isn't yours and he'll never be!"

"Well how do you know that?"

"Because...because...I just do!"

"Are we seriously arguing about this?"

"I'm not arguing...I'm simply stating facts."

"Goodness you're so frustrating!"

"Well...so are you!"

Goku and his band of friends all stood silently, gaping in shock at the argument as they debated whether or not to intervene. Goku didn't know much about women, but during his time with Bulma he had learned that it was sometimes best to just butt out and keep quiet. This was one of those moments.

Brushing a strand of lose hair from her face, Diana sighed as she attempted to calm herself. Normally she never got this angry, but Chichi just knew how to dig under her skin. It was maddening to think a fellow sister could be this unreasonable. The Ox King's daughter wasn't a bad person..she knew that from firsthand experience. She was just irrational when it came to Goku. Goku wasn't quite ready for marriage, and even if he was she was _sure_ he wouldn't pick her.

"Look I know how you feel about Goku but..."

"But? But what?" Chichi asked in confusion as Diana's words trailed off. A distant gaze filling her eyes as she glanced straight ahead.

_He's here._

A scowl immediately formed on Diana's face as she watched Piccolo Jr strut into the arena. He was a mirror image of his despicable father. He was his father's son all the way down to the arrogant demeanor he held. The rest of the group's attention shifted towards the demon king's spawn as he approached the punching machine. Without breaking a sweat the green skinned being registered the highest count of any fighter present, managing to shatter the machine along the way. The tournament officials could only stand in amazement as the numbers continued soaring.

"H-his power level is incredible!" Krillin shouted as a bead of sweat rolled down his face. He wasn't bothering to suppress his power at all. He must have been supremely confident in himself.

"It's even bigger than his father's!" Tien growled as he balled his fist. King Piccolo had been a complete monster and it appeared his son already surpassed him in that department.

Diana couldn't sense power levels but the energy practically radiating off of Piccolo was tangible. Her companions all seemed to be frightened at prospect of this but Goku was brimming with excitement.

"Wow! He must have done some intense training to get that powerful." The Saiyan whistled in admiration as his trademark grin appeared on his face. This was the reason he had physically exhausted himself until death numerous times. This was the reason he had trained nearly nonstop for several years. He couldn't wait to find out if King Piccolo's son would live up to the hype.

"Wait am I hearing this right? You actually sound excited about this Goku." The baffled Lone Wolf asked. Goku was always up for a fight but this was just insanity. King Piccolo had nearly killed them all.

"What can I say? I'm always up for a challenge." The Saiyan chuckled with shoulders raised.

_He's out of his mind. _Master Roshi thought with a sweat drop.

"Chichi" Diana said snapping everyone back to the matter at hand. "We can finish this later but right now _he" _The exiled princess pointed towards Piccolo Jr. "Is our priority."

Chichi knew and had witnessed firsthand the destruction caused by the demon king. Though her father's kingdom hadn't been personally effected by King Piccolo's rampage, the horrors he had committed had resulted in a large number of refugees. Her father had taken several of them in. The amount of casualties and ruined lives were innumerable. Even till this day the after effect of King Piccolo's deeds could be felt. Her argument with Diana could at least wait until this issue was resolved.

"For once I agree with you." The Ox king's daughter conceded as she folded her arms together. She had undergone significant training since the last time she had encountered Goku, but she was still unsure of her own prowess compared to likes of the demon king. Hopefully Goku would be able to pull it out.

With mutual head nods the women parted glances heading back towards their individual sections. The tournament was about to begin soon and no unnecessary energy needed to be expended. There were several powerful competitors in attendance today, but none of them posed as a challenge as Piccolo- or so Goku and his friends thought. But unbeknownst to them a teenage boy from Kansas had arrived in the arena and was doing his best to keep a low profile. Though humble looking and meek, the youth cloaked in a camo jacket possessed more potential than nearly any of the competitors present. This was going to be his first time in the public eye and he was completely unnerved by it.

_Well...here goes nothing. Hopefully things will work out in my favor. I don't know how I'll fair against the rest of these fighters, but someone has to stop Piccolo if things get ugly. _

* * *

**A big thank you to everyone who reviewed chapter 11! **

**Authors Note: **I cannot thank my reviewers enough for the reception I received following the previous chapter. **Quest of the gods IV **was my most reviewed chapter yet. Hopefully this will continue to be an upward trend. A reviewer in the previous chapter had asked me about my opinions on Goku vs Superman, but following the recent episodes of DBS- the winner is obvious. Super Saiyan God is a transformation quite befitting of it's Universal power. This transformation has really put an end to the arguments comparing most incarnations of Superman vs Goku.

I had initially planned for this to be the final chapter of the Dragonball Era and stated so in the previous chapter- but that didn't fall through. The next chapter will be the final one for sure though. I found this chapter was getting a bit too long for my tastes and cut it in half. I also apologize for the wait between updates. I know I'm somewhat of a sporadic author, and real life gets in the way for me a lot of the time.

**[1]: **Bruce hasn't become Batman yet. He's still in the midst of finding himself. He has undergone some training, but is still developing the skills that will eventually make him a great detective.

**[2]:** The League of Assassins did extensive research on Goku following his defeat of Mercenary Tao. This will come into play later on in the story.

* * *

**Q/A:**

**Justus80: **I've actually answered this question quite a few times, but it's no problem to do it again. Yes, Beerus will be making an appearance in this story. Beerus is stronger than Superman as well (Post-Crisis and New 52). However it's difficult to gauge him against the Olympian gods because **A.)** They all have varying degrees of power. A god like Ares can feed off war and violence, so in theory his power could be practically limitless depending on the circumstance. **B.) **Some Olympian gods are reality warpers. Someone like Zeus can alter reality. What could Beerus do against that? There are too many variables for me to definitively say whose stronger at this point. In terms of purely raw strength though? Beerus surpasses them though.

**RecklessBaka: **Camaraderie is highly valued in Amazon society. So for Diana almost betraying Goku

was almost like a grave sin. Added with the fact she was a kid at the time, she couldn't really deal well with her emotions. Bruce isn't Batman yet, but he is on the way to it. Way back in chapter 4 I had mentioned that Bulma and Bruce were childhood friends. This probably a spoiler but, no one outside of the Trinity will be showing up for a while. Amazons are pretty tall, but Diana's pretty much done growing lol.

**Kabuto S. Inferno: **Honestly I see this story being over 100 chapters. The act of sitting down to write is such a pain. There are a lot of times I want to write, but get too lazy to actually do it. I have to work on building the discipline to do it.

**Rowknan:** Yes, there are a ton of DC characters that can match or best Beerus and Whis. Trigon, Superman Prime, The Anti-Monitor (COIE), and the list goes on and on.

**Blinded in a bolthole: **Where does Kami stand in where?

**Guest: **What spite? Chi-Chi has only appeared two times in this story. It would actually be a forced relationship if I paired her with Goku, which I already said wasn't going to happen.

**NirvanaFrk97: **Some of it has been annoying, but there has been some truly genuine advice which I've taken to heart. You're right though, it is my story and I plan to do whatever I want with it. I don't mind helpful suggestions but I'm not going to be forced into doing anything I don't want.

**Brandon921: **Superman appeared in this chapter, as well as chapters 3 and 4.

**Guest: **Goku and Diana are the same age. Goku's actually a little older than Diana by a few months though. They're both 18 at this point in the story.

**Jennifer N: **Hercules invaded Themyscira centuries before Diana was born. I've never stated that Hercules was her father. Zeus slept with Hippolyta in more modern times. Diana isn't centuries old.

**Fanboy 316: **This world isn't as naive as the regular Dragonball world. Things can't be as easily hidden, and this will have a great impact in the upcoming chapters actually.


	13. New Beginnings

_Thoughts_

"Speech"

**Disclaimer: DC and DBZ belong to their respective owners; I own nothing.**

**Chapter 13: New Beginnings**

**Age 756 (2006), Papaya Island**

* * *

_That Capsule Corps spokeswoman certainly wasn't exaggerating in her speech. _

Gulping as he took a nervous step into the ring Clark Kent, better known as Superboy, quickly scanned his surroundings. There had to be at least two hundred thousand people in the crowd today. There were hundreds more lined up outside the stadium just to watch the battles from the absurdly sized jumbo-tron facing the east entrance. WayneTech and Capsule Corps had spared no expense for today's events. The stadium was virtually unrecognizable from the last time he had seen it on TV.

Watching the Worlds Martial Arts tournament had been a tradition of sorts in the Kent household. Pa Kent had had grown up watching it with his father and had passed it down with Clark. In recent years the viewership and popularity of the tournament had grown exponentially. It hadn't nearly been as popular in his father's adolescence, but that was largely due to Goku and his band of friends. The memory of the 21st tournament was still fresh in his mind.

Up until the age of twelve Kal-El had believed he was the only one who possessed superhuman abilities and powers, but that all changed once he tuned into that tournament. Not only were there people like him out there, but they were numerous in number as well. Goku, Diana, Krillin, Yamcha, and the mysterious Jackie Chan all possessed power that appeared to be equivalent to his. It was baffling considering the fact that they all appeared to be normal humans. How did regular Earthlings possess power like this? His biological parents had never documented this in their archives.

"Aherm!" Coughing loudly as she cleared her throat, Diana attempted to divert the attention of her rather absent minded opponent. This was the absolute worst time for a fighter to be day dreaming.

"Oh...wow..excuse me." A flustered Clark apologized as he shook himself out of reverie. How long had he been out of it? He had gotten unexpectedly side tracked.

"It's no biggie." The exiled princess responded with a warm smile. Her opponent seemed to have the jitters. "But I would like to begin as soon as possible. The crowd and I don't have all day."

Quickly glancing around Clark spotted the annoyed faces of the onlooking spectators. Several sections of the crowd were beginning to yell and shout obscenities that would have made Ma Kent blush furiously. Pivoting his head to the announcer behind him, the blonde shared an equally irked visage. The small town boy quickly realized the fight had already begun.

"How long ago did you call the match?" Kal questioned as he flipped around to face him.

"Approximately 10 minutes ago. You've just been standing there...mumbling to yourself."

An awkward chuckle escaped the raven haired teen's mouth as he ran his fingers through his locks. This definitely wasn't how he intended to start the fight.

"It's no problem, I can tell you're nervous." The announcer surmised as he eyed the tall contestant on the stage. He had hosted enough fights to tell who had pre-fight jitters. "But would you mind taking off that jacket and telling her to do the same with the cloak? Fighters aren't allowed to have extra clothing on."

Sighing, Clark respectfully nodded as he turned around to face to his opponent. He knew this moment would eventually come, but not so soon. Unzipping his father's borrowed camo jacket, Clark began removing the unnecessary article of clothing. It appeared his opponent had excellent hearing because she immediately began to do the same. His eyes widened as the girl's cloak was finally stripped off.

"You're...you're...Wondergirl!" Shaking his head in disbelief Clark and rest of the crowd gaped as they took a moment to fully examine her. He had heard about her deeds but had never expected to encounter her here. Her outfit was vastly different from the last time she was photographed. Gone were the gladiator sandals, having been replaced by ankle high boots. A leather praetorian battle skirt adorned her waist, being complimented by a red and gold breastplate, fashioned in the shape of an eagle. In short she had grown tremendously since her last documented photo.

Tossing his jacket aside it was Diana's turn to be shocked as vibrant red cape flapped in the wind.

"You're Superboy?!" It was voiced as a question but the answer was rather obvious. The blaring red S in the center of his muscular chest easily gave him away. The stories of his exploits had reached her ears during her travels across the United States. She had initially assumed him to be a myth but in a world filled with talking animals, magical monsters, and friends who transformed into giant apes- nothing was impossible.

"In an amazing turn of events it looks like our two contestants have turned out to be...Superboy and Wondergirl!" The incredulous announcer yelled into the mic as he adjusted his sliding glasses. The celebrity of the tournament grew bigger and bigger each year.

Loud murmuring erupted in the crowd following the announcers words. Though Superboy wasn't as widely known, Wondergirl's celebrity was nearly as large as Goku's. In the crowd Bruce nearly slapped himself for failing to recognize her earlier, he knew there was something peculiar about her.

"Is this Superboy guy any good?" Goku asked as he turned to Tien. The reaction elicited from the crowd seemed to imply he was.

For the second time today the three eyed warrior was clueless. This 'Superboy' character hadn't been included in any of the League of Assassins files. That meant he must have only recently appeared on the scene. "I don't know Goku...but I guess we'll find out won't we?"

The Saiyan pouted, unsatisfied with Tien's response but eventually shrugged. Time would just have to tell after all.

* * *

**Dragonball DC**

"So what do you say we get down to business then Superboy? I'm sure we've made the crowd wait long enough." The raucous noise from the spectators following the MC's announcement had finally died down. Diana's bones were itching to find out how truly powerful Superboy was. She received her answer in the form of a quick head nod. Clark had never been involved in a fight like this, but he would do anything in his power to ensure Piccolo was defeated.

With a final parting glance, both fighters promptly vanished from sight. The onlookers in the crowd immediately glanced around to locate both contestants, but to no avail.

"Wait...look up there!" The announcer shouted after several seconds as both warriors reappeared in the sky.

The Amazon and the Kryptonian were hammering it out in the heavens above. Shockwaves ensued following each colliding strike. Clark was pouring every iota of energy he had into his body, but Diana seemed to be taking it easy. A large smile covered her face from ear to ear as they traded blows. Seemingly, without breaking a sweat, the exiled princess was matching, and even overpowering Clark's punches. Finally, following a rather hard right hook to the face, Superboy was forced back down to the ring below.

Landing with a hard thud, the Kryptonian rebounded as he quickly hopped back onto his feet. He was lucky to do this in one swift motion as Diana immediately descended from the sky, hot on his trail. Narrowly sidestepping, the farm-boy from Kansas managed to evade a rather sharp knee. Inhaling deeply, the teenager hurriedly flipped to offense. Exhaling loudly Superboy unleashed a cold gust of air from his lungs. If not for her Amazon instincts Diana would have been frozen solid by the chilly stream of ice.

_Crap I missed_

Superboy cursed as he watched the Amazon evade the gust, eventually sailing and slamming into a nearby wall leaving it frozen solid.

_What in Hera's name was that?_

Diana pondered as the hairs on her neck stood up. The nearby spectators was wondering the same exact thing as they gaped at the now frozen solid wall. _Was that a Ki attack of some sort? Well, whatever it was, I'll have to stay on my toes now. _

Returning her gaze to the battle at hand Wondergirl discovered her opponent had once again vanished. Darting her eyes around quickly the exiled princess scanned the vicinity. A frown slowly began to form on her face as she failed to locate anything, until she felt a sudden presence hover behind her. _Got you. _ Without even bothering to turn around Diana delivered a powerful backhand to Clark's face. The Kryptonian was immediately sent stumbling from the impact of the strike.

_How did she..._

"You have speed but your ability to conceal yourself isn't very good. Your breathing gave you away." Diana answered, seemingly replying to the teen's thoughts before he could even voice them.

"My breath?" Kal-El parroted in disbelief. Did she posses super hearing as well?

"Yes...your breath. Matter of fact you're breathing hard right now. I can tell this is your first time doing actual combat, isn't it?"

Clark's eyes expanded to the size of saucers. How did she know all this? Her deduction was indeed true. Up until this point in his short career as a superhero he had never battled anyone with a skill-set remotely close to his. At most he dealt with natural disastrous and small time petty crimes. Today had been the first day he had met someone who could actual hurt him...and it was _frightening_.

"But I can also tell you're still holding back, at least _slightly. Why? _Is it because I'm a woman?" This wouldn't be the first time Diana had encountered such thinking in man's world if that were indeed the case.

"No!" Clark quickly dismissed the accusation. He took no pleasure in fighting women but that certainly wasn't the case today. His mother had taught him better than to treat people differently because of mere gender differences.

"I've never used my full power before. I have no clue what kind of damage I could cause with it." Clark said as he stared down at his palms. Nothing had ever required the full usage of his abilities. He certainly hadn't expected to be forced to use them so early on during the tournament either.

The daughter of Zeus didn't know whether or not to be offended. She wasn't some fragile weakling who needed to be protected. But on the other hand Superboy did seem genuinely concerned about harming others. A more vindictive opponent would've used that to their advantage by now...but Diana wasn't that type.

"You can discard those feelings. I want to see you fight at your full potential." Diana and Goku were much alike when it came to fighting. They both wanted to battle opponents at the peak of their might. "I certainly don't intend on holding back." The Amazon finished, settling into a confident smirk.

_Well she certainly seems confident enough. If I keep holding myself back I'll never truly know how powerful I am. And judging from the punches we traded earlier...she really packs a wallop. _

"Alright I'll do this your way...but don't say I didn't warn you." Clark finally responded, settling into a quick battle stance mirroring the one Diana had struck earlier. _Well...let's have at it then. _

In a flash both fighters vanished leaving the tournament announcer once again gawking. Goku's eyes narrowed as he spotted Wondergirl and Superboy trading blows near the edge of the ring. The vibrations echoing the force of their colliding blows was a dead give away. Unlike the start of the battle, the two heroes appeared to be more evenly matched in strength. A smile was plastered on the Amazon's face as their fists rebounded off each other.

_Yes! This is the challenge I was seeking! _

Her Amazon heritage was on full display as physical tug of war ensued between the two contestants, pushing one another to their limits to see who would bend first. Eventually Diana wound up winning, knocking the Kryptonian back with a recoiled punch. Kal-El snarled as he was shoved back, his heels entrenching themselves in the concrete to halt his slide. In a heartbeat the princess was on him, not giving her opponent a second to breathe.

Her follow up attack was even faster than her previous one, the Kansas farm-boy not even seeing the kick before it was too late. The Kryptonian was propelled into the air as Diana's heel-toe slammed into his chin. The world titled on its axis as Superboy back-flipped in midair, managing to land back on his feet in time to evade yet another kick.

Switching to the offensive Clark lunged at her with a well-aimed fist to the solar plexus. His face twisted in pure confusion as the blow struck the passing breeze. Kal-El cursed as he heard her feet land behind him. Thrusting an elbow behind as he turned, The Kryptonian managed to catch the Amazon off guard. Diana's nose throbbed in pain as the elbow was immediately followed by punch to the face. It landed, causing her to visibly shudder as the pain echoed throughout her face.

The exiled princess quickly clutched her face as she felt blood gush from her nose. Kal-El pondered halting his next attack but quickly decided against it, knowing his opponent would be angry if he did. _She asked for this. _His follow up kick to the stomach sent her rocketing back, her body finally skidding to a halt as she crashed into a wall surrounding the ring.

Wiping the still dripping blood with her forearms Chi-Chi raced towards the Kryptonian. A flurry of laser beams following her as she approached. _Fire from his eyes?! _The last son of Krypton's head became a blur as he jerked his neck in every possible direction. Remaining calm as ever the daughter of Zeus skillfully deflected every beam with her bracelets. Her numerous battles against Ki users had prepared her for this moment. The crowd, as well as Clark was completely hypnotized by her masterful evasion skills.

_Wow..._

Kal-El's momentary lack of focus allowed Diana to land a bone rattling knee to his gut. The air was instantly knocked out of teenager's lungs as he stumbled back. A shower of punches and kicks rained down on the Kryptonian as Diana relentlessly followed up her initial strike. His head bobbed, knees wobbling, as his body trembled from the force of every precise strike. No energy was needlessly wasted as Wondergirl struck, working with precise accuracy that Clark could only dream of. Finally with an ear rattling scream, the Amazon finished her assault with a palm to the face.

_Time to end this!_

As much as Diana was enjoying this fight; it had worn it's welcome. Clark had provided an excellent challenge and his full power was indeed remarkable, but he lacked any tangible skill to fully capitalize on it. Wondergirl had allowed him to land the previous blows, all in hopes of gauging his true abilities. She had withstood every strike, though not without receiving some damage along the way. Not only that, but she would have to conserve energy for the battles that were yet to be fought.

Cocking her fist back Diana summoned every ounce of strength the gods had blessed her with. Superboy's eyes instinctively closed, wincing as he prepared himself for the inevitable. The Kryptonian knew he couldn't stop her furious assault, nor could he hope to evade the speedy Amazon's blows. He just prayed her next blow wouldn't seriously injure him. But much to his surprise and joy, nothing ever came save a powerful gust of wind that sent him tumbling back momentarily.

Slowly opening his eyes as he heard the announcer call the match, Clark realized what happened.

"And your winner of the first match...Wondergirl!"

Raucous cheering and applause followed as the crowd clapped for both contestants. It had truly been an amazing battle. Instead of hitting Superboy with a punch that most likely would have concussed him, the exiled princess had simply used the wind caused by the aftereffect of her wine up to push the Kryptonian out of bounds. It was an anti-climatic end to the battle, but Clark was more than grateful to avoid any more possible damage.

"Great match." Diana smiled as she hovered over to her opponent on the nearby grass. Superboy's potential was yet to even be half-way realized.

"Same to you." Kal-El reciprocated as he outstretched his hand to shake hers. He had failed to accomplish his goals, but with Diana still participating; he had nothing to fear.

"Do you have any plans?" The princess asked as she gripped his palm. He certainly did have one powerful hold.

"No, why?" Superboy hadn't planned on losing this early, so he had scheduled to be in Chikyu for the whole week.

"Would you be interested in meeting some friends of mine? I'm sure you've heard of Goku."

_Goku?!_ _Who hadn't heard of him? _

Quickly nodding the teenager responded yes. He had hoped to encounter him at some point. His heroic deeds were now widespread across the world. Heck, he was one of the reasons he had even decided to participate in this year's tournament.

"Well let's go say hi then." Diana said as she took his hand

* * *

**Dragonball DC**

The initial meeting between Clark and Goku had been one for the ages. Though the two had never met, they embraced each other like brothers and immediately bonded. Clark had never encountered such a pure-hearted person and the same was likewise for Goku. The two chatted like old, long forgotten friends. Goku was particularly inquisitive, bombarding the Kryptonian with a flurry of numerous questions.

Superboy hadn't used any Ki, but somehow managed to keep up with Diana. What was his secret? He was completely clueless about anything Ki related so it had to be from another source. It was completely preposterous for Goku to even conceive it being natural strength- but it was. Clark couldn't reveal his otherworldly origins and simply said he was born with these abilities. Goku gleefully accepted his words telling him how awesome it was, but some of his companions were more skeptical.

Tien in particular eyed him with total distrust. The League of Assassins kept detailed records of every potential superhuman threat to them. Someone like Clark would have certainly registered on their radar. But seeing as he had no evidence contrary to the Kryptonian's words, Tien could only listen silently in doubt. But aside from that Goku's comrade's had been more than welcoming towards him.

Their commentary and friendship made the tournament all the more fun as the succession of matches continued. Tien vs Mercenary Tao followed Superboy and Diana's battle. That match had been incredibly violent. There definitely some bad blood there. Tao had gotten disqualified halfway through the match but kept fighting in attempts to kill Tien. But regardless the three eyed warrior defeated his opponent, while operating within the tournament's rules.

Goku battled Chi-Chi much to Wondergirl's annoyance. Her constant offers of marriage nearly forced the Amazon into the ring to beat the Ox King's daughter herself. Fortunately for Chi-Chi she had been restrained by the combined efforts of Superboy and Goku's friends. The Saiyan eventually ended up winning, and rather easily too.

Piccolo's match against Krillin followed that, allowing Superboy to witness what he would have been up against. Clark quickly realized how truly outmatched he was. Krillin was even more powerful than him and was still completely annihilated by Ma Junior. Yamcha was the next to fall, losing to the mysterious warrior Hero in quite hilarious fashion.

Tien and Hero would face off in the semi-finals. The unknown warrior once again managing to surprise everyone, managing to defeat Tien after a hard fought battle. Goku and Diana faced off in arguably the most anticipated re-match in tournament history. Much like their initial match years ago it was incredibly destructive. Diana seemed to have the upper hand but then suddenly forfeited the match. It was later revealed that Wondergirl had conceded the match to allow Goku to take care of unfinished business with Piccolo. The two friends could spar anytime after the tournament.

Due to Piccolo scoring the highest on the punching machine he received a bye until the next round. Leaving Goku to square off with Hero in the match before the finals. The mysterious fighter broke out an incredible number of mystical moves. Goku was on the ropes for much of the fight, but the Saiyan eventually prevailed and pulled it out. The championship was now about to begin with Goku and Piccolo Jr being the final two contestants.

Everyone, not only the crowd was on edge. Piccolo Jr had made some rather audacious threats prior to this match. He certainly had the power and the conviction to follow through with them. If Goku couldn't defeat him, things definitely didn't look too good. Around the world millions of viewers all tuned in, eagerly awaiting what was sure to be the most watched event in human history. Unbeknownst to everyone otherworldly entities were following along too. Goku had to win.

"Let's get ready to rumble!"

* * *

**A big thank you to everyone who reviewed chapter 12! **

**Authors Note: **The Dragonball Era of this story is finally over. Now we're really going to dive into the meat of this story. I have so much planned for these next few story arcs. The next chapters will be much longer too. There's going to be a lot to cover, following one more large time-skip. There's been some confusion about character ages and details of the plot, so I've provided a short time-line of the main events thus far, at the bottom of this chapter. Hopefully this clears up any questions my readers and reviewers might have.

* * *

**Q/A:**

**NirvanaFrk97: **Beerus has been injured before, so it's more than likely than he can be killed. Beerus and Whis' true power is unknown at this point, but they are at the very least, Universal in terms of destructive capability.

**Great: **Current Goku would beat most incarnations of Superman at this point now. At the very least we know Beerus is capable of destroying the entire Universe. Who knows how strong he might turn out to be, along with Whis and the other new characters. Janemba was a reality warper but he didn't really use those abilities during his fight with Goku and Vegeta. Zeus regularly uses those abilities. In a straight up fight he'd get beat by someone like Beerus though.

**Kabuto S. Inferno: **The discipline to write is something I really need to work on and I'm slowly getting better at it. Thanks for the kind words. The previous chapter was supposed to have more details but I ended up splitting it into two parts.

**Rowknan: **Whis has shown small scale time control but nothing beyond that till this point, so I can't really gauge him as a reality warper. In terms of purely physical stats? He and Beerus are near the top of the list though.

**RecklessBaka: **The League of Assassins isn't affiliated with Goku but they do have some history with him. Yeah, once the DBZ era of the story begins things will really begin to open up. I have a lot of things planned and I'm pretty excited for it too.

**Jhaynes0529: **I've addressed this in previous chapters. **A.) **I'm drawing from various sources of DC comics related media..so your statement isn't true. **B.) **They may not have demonstrated planet busting abilities, but they have demonstrated reality warping on a level only a few DBZ characters have showcased.

**EliteHalo714:** I decided to write this story because I'm a big fan of crossovers first and foremost. There's never been a crossover of this kind on this site, at least to my knowledge. I figured this story would at the very least be the most interesting type of crossover that could be done on here.

* * *

**Timeline:**

**1800/Age 550:**

After hijacking a spaceship, a large group of Saiyans arrive on planet Plant and immediately begin to wage war on it.

**1805/Age 555:**

The Tuffles request aid from the Kryptonians in their war against the Saiyans

**1810/Age 560:**

The Saiyan-Tuffle War comes to an end when the Saiyans transform into Great Apes at the light of the full moon.

The Kryptonians are attacked as they arrive on Planet Plant, sparking a new conflict between the races

**1908/Age 658:**

Grandpa Gohan is born

**1912/Age 662:**

Kami tells Mr. Popo what he remembers about his childhood

**1981/Age 731:**

The Saiyans are annexed by the galactic overlord Frieza and start conquering planets to sell

The Kryptonian/Saiyan war continues through this period

**1982/Age 732:**

Vegeta is born

**1983/Age 733:**

Yamcha, Tien, and Bulma are born

Bruce Wayne is born

Chikyu's King is sworn in

**1986/Age 736:**

Krillin is born

**1987/Age 737:**

The Saibamen are developed by a Saiyan scientist

Chi-Chi is born

Goku is born

Diana is born

Clark Kent is born

Broly is born

Frieza destroys Krypton and Vegetasei

Goku is found by Grandpa Gohan

Clark Kent is found by the Kents

**1988/Age 738:**

Goku hits his head on a rock after falling down a cliff. He stops being a reckless and vicious child and becomes a happy, fun-loving boy.

Chiaotzu is born.

**1990/Age 740:**

Oolong and Puar are born.

Krillin begins his training at the Orin Temple.

**1991/Age 741:**

Bruce Wayne's parents are killed

Bulma's elder sister, Tights, mysteriously disappears

**1997/Age 747:**

Yamcha meets Puar

**1999/Age 749:**

Bulma discovers 2-Star Dragon Ball in the Capsule Corps storage room

After learning more about them in the Book of Eternity, she embarks on a trip to locate them all

Bulma meets and befriends Goku

Goku and Bulma meet Master Roshi, and he gives them the 3-Star Dragon Ball and the Flying Nimbus.

Goku and Bulma trespass Themyscira on the search for their next Dragonball, crossing paths with the Amazons.

Eris saves Goku from execution for trespassing Themyscira on behalf of the gods. Diana is tasked with retrieving the Dragonballs for the Olympians and leaves with Goku.

Diana and Goku go on various escapades as they search for the Dragonballs.

**2000/Age 750:**

After a year long wait Diana finally gets her hands on all the Dragonballs but is unable to betray Goku.

Upa's father is resurrected

Diana is banished by Zeus following the consensus of the Amazons wishes lead by Derinoe

**2001/Age 751:**

Diana spends the year in seclusion in various places across the globe

**2002-2005/Age 752-755:**

Goku is defeated by Tien in the 22nd WMAT

Diana's heroic deeds spread across the globe as she's dubbed "Wonder Girl"

Krillin is killed by Tambourine and King Piccolo appears

Goku kills King Piccolo. Piccolo gives birth to his reincarnation, Piccolo Jr. Goku reaches Kami's Lookout and trains there for the next three years with Mr. Popo and Kami

Kami introduces himself to Diana

Diana trains for the 23rd WMAT

**2006/Age 756:**

The 23rd WMAT takes place


	14. Attack of the Saiyans I: Arrival

_Thoughts_

"Speech"

**Disclaimer: DC and DBZ belong to their respective owners; I own nothing.**

**Chapter 14: Attack of the Saiyans I: Arrival **

* * *

**Age 761 (2011), East City, Chikyu**

"Can't you drive this piece of crap any faster?!"

"I'm doing the best I can you asshole. It's not my fault she's faster than this damn car!" A belligerent woman yelled back to her comrade as she glanced at the rear-view mirror. She was doing her best to swerve in and out of traffic while avoiding the menacing figure that was hot on their trails.

"Shit, she's catching up!"

"Well do something then Bruno. I have my hands full enough with all these damn pedestrians on the road." Whisper A'Daire growled through clenched teeth as she jerked the armored vehicle onto the sidewalk. To hell with them. If they wouldn't get out of the way- they would just have to die then.

Frustratedly sighing, the man known as Bruno Mannheim scurried into the backseat. Rummaging through a bag stock full of weapons, which they had brought along just in case, he smiled as he finally saw what he was looking for. _Man oh man. This is one bad SOB right here._ Grinning as he cocked it back, the criminal opened the vehicle's sunroof and began firing. Horrified screams rattled his ears as he indiscriminately let loose. Whatever this thing was...it wasn't of Earth.

His poor, innocent victims, were instantly incinerated as the laser beams struck. Not even a trace of ashes was left to showcase a living being had stood there moments before. Three people had quickly fallen victim to his brutality. But before a fourth could, the woman, who they had been running for dear life from, swooped down and deflected the incoming blast with her wrist gauntlets.

_Shit!_

The vagabond cursed as he recoiled the weapon for another strike. But much to his dismay it needed momentary charging before usage once more. Those few seconds weren't time he had to spare. Before the raven-haired assailant could even blink Wonder Woman was in front of him, standing angrily atop the Capsule Corps vehicle they had stolen.

"I don't suppose I could convince you to go easy on us?" The once brave criminal squealed in a hushed tone. Her cold narrowed eyes were answer enough as she reached down and promptly crushed the weapon.

Tossing it to the wayside. Diana roughly grabbed the man by his collar, pulling him up to eye level before abruptly shoving him back down into the car. With a hard thud, he hit the floor his skull slamming harshly against the carpet, leaving him unconscious. The driver of the vehicle's eyes bulged open as she glanced back and saw the Amazon princess tearing the roof of their prized possession. _All that hard work...for nothing! Does she even care about salvaging this prototype?_

But as quick as Diana's destructive rampage began...it abruptly ended. In a flash, the daughter of Zeus was gone. The now bewildered woman frantically glanced around as she attempted to locate the brightly dressed hero. Her search was delayed rather quickly as the furious Amazon appeared right in front of her, in the middle of the road. Whisper's eyes expanded to the size of saucers, her red hair flailing wildly as she attempted to swerve out of the way, but was ultimately unable to. The resulting crash completely totaled the car. A dent outlined in the shape of Diana's frame was engraved on what was left of the hood.

Coughing, thanking whatever deities helped her survive that crash, the Intergang criminal slowly crawled out of the car and quickly began making a break for it. Her partner was a total loss at this point. There was no reason both of them should go to prison. And besides, there was truly no loyalty in the criminal underworld anyways. But before she was even halfway down the street Wonder Woman there again, furiously glaring into her skull.

_For Christ's sake can't I catch a break?_

Pulling out the trusty revolver she always kept handy, the frightened woman began firing with all her might. Diana didn't even bother to dodge or deflect them, instead electing to allow them to ricochet off her godly frame.

"B-b-but I thought you were hurt by blunt force objects?" The incredulous thief asked in total surprise, the smoke still steaming from her shaking gun.

Diana's stern face softened slightly as she heard the remark. "Where do people get this notion from?" The baffled princess questioned as she batted the weapon away. This wasn't the first time she had heard such a ridiculous idea either.

"Maybe it's because you always deflect stuff with your bracelets." A chuckling Goku said as he suddenly descended from the skies above.

"And just where have you been this whole time?" The Amazon asked as she began wrapping things up. Tying the Intergang criminal up with a torn down light pole.

"Well, you see about that..." The Saiyan began as he scratched his head in typical Son fashion.

"You were off training again huh?" His wife rolled her eyes as she finished tying up the remaining occupant from the car crash. Goku did this almost every day. It was frustrating at times...but it was she had married into.

"Yeah." The guilty Saiyan conceded as he blushed, trying his best to avoid his wife's gaze.

"Well luckily for you- it wasn't that big of a situation." She assured him, giggling as he breathed a sigh of relief. She loved those cute distraught facial expressions he made.

"Well, that's good to know," A suddenly cheerful Goku said as he wiped his brow. Today had presented him with a rare opportunity to train by himself. As much as he loved his family he needed to train by his lonesome sometimes. "What about these guys though?"

Diana's smile quickly soured as she glanced over the tied up criminals. They were members of Intergang, high ranking ones at that. Ever since the Red Ribbon Army's destruction at the hands of the now married couple, Intergang had been slowly creeping into Chikyu's criminal underworld. Today had been their boldest display yet, stealing one of Capsule Corps newest prototypes. It seemed dissension with the Capsule Corporation was something both Intergang and the RRA shared. Normally Wonder Woman would've cared about preventing needless destruction to property, but it was just a prototype after all. Bulma had shown her plans for numerous other vehicles weeks earlier.

Intergang was an American criminal organization. The fact that they were so easily muscling their way into another country was startling, to say the least. She would have to talk to Bruce about this and see if he knew what was going on. Those weapons they carried were unlike anything she had ever encountered. They instantaneously vaporized their victims. The family of the victims would never even know what happened to them.

"Diana are you OK?" A worried Goku asked as he saw the sorrow wash over her normally jovial features.

"I just need a moment Goku," Sometimes stopping the enemy wasn't simply enough. There was irreversible damage done here today. Sighing as she pondered it one last time, the exiled princess cleared her mind. It wasn't good to hold onto suffering. "I'm good now honey."

Placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder Goku pulled his wife into a hug. She didn't have to say it; he already knew. The two embraced, nestling against one another as they exchanged body heat.

"Thanks." The proud Amazon smiled as she scooted closer to her husband's chiseled chest.

"No problem." The Saiyan responded with a quick grin. "Now, about those bracelets. If bullets don't hurt you...why do you deflect them?"

"Seriously?" Diana groaned as the couple began walking off. The police would be there momentarily to take care of the rest.

"Yeah...seriously. Why do you?"

"Honestly...it just looks cooler that way."

A large sweat-drop formed on the Saiyan's face as he and his now chuckling wife took to the skies. She could be a real goofball sometimes.

* * *

**Age 761 (2011), West City, Chikyu**

"Lunch is ready Gohan."

No further words were necessary as a shaggy-haired child quickly scampered down a long flight of stairs, tail wagging as he dashed over to the dinner table.

Bulma laughed as she viewed the eager boy leap into his chair, mouth literally drooling as he eyed the meal for the afternoon.

"Manners manners Gohan. What do you say?"

"Thank you, Godmother Bulma for preparing this meal."

A satisfied smile settled onto the lavender haired woman's face as she heard those magic words. "You can dig in now."

The Demi-Saiyan quickly acquiesced her words and began tearing the food apart. Teaching him proper eating etiquette had been a real struggle. Till this day, it was something his father had never fully understood. Gohan was miles ahead of his father, but even using cutlery, he managed to make things look as uncivilized as possible. She guessed it was just something genetic he shared. But regardless he looked so cute attempting to devour everything at once on his plate.

The three-year-old was an absolute bundle of joy. Bulma had been ecstatic when Diana and Goku had announced that she would be his Godmother. She wasn't quite ready for a parental role herself, but she loved the time she spent with Gohan. He was quite possibly the smartest pre-pubescent boy she had ever met. She was after all in charge of his education.

Diana's schedule was quite busy pertaining to all the heroic things she needed to attend to. And Goku...well he was Goku. Neither parents were deadbeats, far from it. They loved and adored Gohan like any good parent should. But it when it came to matters concerning his education, neither one seemed to have the time or was intelligent enough to teach him. Bulma gladly offered herself as the proverbial lamb to help their son. Who better than her anyways? She was one of the top ten smartest people on the planet.

Every day before work, well superhero duties, Wonder Woman would drop him off at Capsule Corps. From early morning till the afternoon Bulma would spend the day with her Godson. While it was her duty to educate him, they didn't always do it in a typical manner. For instance, the Capsule Corps heir had taught Gohan a small sample of probability by having him watch his parents old tournament fights. The young Demi-Saiyan had been instructed to calculate what each fighter's statistical chances were.

It was both fun and educating. Nearly anything involving battle held the boy's attention. The apple didn't fall too far from the tree in that regard. When it came to anything physical Gohan was more than up for the challenge. Goku and Diana had already admitted that their son was more powerful at the age of three than they had ever been during their tournament fights. It was baffling to consider someone so young being this strong. Even Clark had to marvel at his abilities when he had stopped by for a visit not too long ago. At this rate, it was almost a guarantee that he would be the most powerful person on the planet when he fully came into his own.

"You're using the wrong fork Gohan." Bulma corrected as she viewed her Godson frustratedly using the salad fork, attempting to stab into a thick slab of meat but to no avail.

The youngster blushed, embarrassed by his simple mistake and quickly up the meat fork. "Sorry about that."

"It's no biggie." The Capsule corps heir responded with a warm smile. "At the very least you're..." Bulma's words were left trailing as a sudden ring at the door interrupted her train of thought. Quickly standing up, the billionaire heiress slipped into the long corridor that eventually lead to the front door.

"Goku, Diana, didn't expect to see you here so early." Bulma said in surprise as she opened the door. It was only 1:30 and they normally didn't pick Gohan up for another hour. But for the most part, Gohan's studies were done for the day anyways.

"I hope we didn't interrupt anything?" Diana asked as their longtime friend invited them inside.

"No...not at all," Bulma immediately dismissed the notion. "We wrapped up thirty minutes ago actually. Your son is quite the genius."

The married couple turned to one another and shared a smile. Goku had never received the opportunity to have a formal education. Diana had been thoroughly educated by the best teachers on Paradise island, but had been exiled at the tender age of thirteen. She was still learning the confusing in and out's of man's worlds. But it appeared their son would not face any such hurdles.

"It smells great in here Bulma!" Goku exclaimed as he took a whiff of the delicious scent marinating throughout the household.

"Why thank you Goku," His best friend chuckled as the trio took a turn into the dining room. "What you're smelling is actually an old family recipe that my Grand..."

"Mommy! Daddy!"

Bulma's explanation was once again interrupted as the hybrid bundle of joy, known as Gohan, leaped into the arms of his parents. A bone squeezing hug ensued as both parents embraced their child.

"Wow, sport you're really getting strong." Goku whistled in admiration as he placed his son back on the floor. That hug almost felt like a handshake from Clark.

"Really?" His son asked in amazement, attempting to flex what little muscles he possessed.

Wonder Woman's hand rose to her mouth as she began laughing. Gohan was definitely his father's son. That childlike spirit they both possessed was unmistakable.

We interrupt your daily scheduled programming to bring you a live interview with Lex Luthor.

Bulma's brows furrowed as she turned over to the TV situated on the wall across from the dining table. It wasn't on when she had gone to answer the door.

"Gohan did you..." She didn't even have to complete her sentence as the young child quickly nodded. Well, that was a big sigh of relief. If Lex was somehow taking over electronic devices she didn't know what she would do.

Wonder Woman's joyous countenance quickly changed as she viewed Superman's arch-nemesis appear on the screen.

"_I'm Cat Grant reporting live from WGBS news with Lex Luthor." _

The blonde haired newscaster was an old acquittance of Clark. Bulma had initially run into her during her first trip to Metropolis. She was a bit snooty, but that sense of entitlement helped her greatly in the field of journalism. She was a former writer at the Daily Planet but had immediately jumped ship once Morgan Edge offered her a job WGBS news, one of the world's largest telecommunication companies. The Daily Planet hadn't been big enough to contain two personalities as large as hers and Lois Lane's.

"_How are you doing today Mr. Luthor?" _

"_I'm quite fine Miss Grant, and you can just call me Lex." The bald haired man responded with a smile. _

"_Ok, then Lex," The newscaster quickly corrected herself. This was a huge interview, she couldn't afford to anger who was possibly the most powerful man in the world. _

"_What brings you to our studios today? For years, the LuthorCorp enterprises have been run from the shadows. We all know about your father, Lionel, who tragically died a few years ago. His massive fortune, as well as his conglomerate, was passed down to his only son, Lex. For years, we've heard about you but never actually seen you publicly until today. You've practically been a ghost."_

"_Well, that certainly is true Miss Grant." Lex chuckled as he took a sip of his coffee from the table. His eyes shimmering as he raised his glass. _

_Cat Grant had to admit that he was quite attractive. Usually, CEO's of corporations, especially ones as large as LuthorCorp were headed by old, extremely elderly men. But that was not the case here. Lex was incredibly young considering his position, and could've easily passed for a GQ model- save the bald head. _

"_In the past, I didn't deem public knowledge of my presence as necessary. My father's company, rather my company now, has been well managed and operated from the shadows. Your average American doesn't know the head's of other large companies, nor do they need to. Save for a few minor exceptions such as Dr. Brief and Bruce Wayne, the large majority of us are indeed anonymous." _

_The blonde reporter nodded, this was, in fact, true. Your average joe-schmoe couldn't point out the CEO of Disney if you put him in a police lineup. "So why this sudden change now then? What's caused you to change your stance?"_

"_To put it simply Miss Grant...the world as we know it is changing."_

"_Care to extrapolate on that?" Cat Grant asked with raised eye. _

"_Of course," The billionaire said with a smile. "The old system and ways of doing things are outdated, antiquated- obsolete. My father's system of business operations simply doesn't work in this current era. Having a good product and marketing it is still a viable way of gaining sales, don't get me wrong. But the people need more. They desire more. The public wants to be able to match a face with your product." _

"_But if your product is good none of that should matter."_

"_In theory, that should be true, but my research and statistics have proven otherwise," Lex interjected. "Miss Grant do you know which two companies brought in the most revenue last year?" _

"_The Capsule Corporation and Wayne Enterprises." The bleach blonde quickly responded, firing the words off, almost before Lex could almost finish his sentence. Those were the two largest companies by net worth. Practically everybody knew this. _

"_And as I mentioned earlier those two companies have visible faces which the public can attach themselves to. Not to mention the fact they're both mutual sponsors of the Worlds Martial Arts Tournament, something I'm seeking to buy stock in as well." _

"As if! Bruce and I would never let a chauvinistic, arrogant pig like Lex buy into it!" Bulma indignantly shouted at the screen. "To hell with him and his blood money!"

_Back on the screen Cat Grant's eyes burst wide open. That last tidbit of information was sure to be headline grabbing news. Capsule Corps and Wayne Enterprises had built the Tenkaichi Budokai into the largest sporting event in the world. Billions in revenue flowed from the competition. It was easy to see why someone like Lex wanted in on it. He certainly had the funds to do it. _

_Briefly noting her surprise Lex trudged on with his train of thought. "And in this age, especially this age, people need something human to look up to." _

"_Human? What do you mean by that?" Cat inquired as she leaned forward in her seat. _

"_I'm sure you've seen those brightly colored super-powered beings gallivanting around our globe as heroes."_

_The newscaster's eyes narrowed. He was referring to Superman and the heroes who had picked up the mantle following his lead. The acidity in his tone certainly implied hatred, but why? _

"_You seem to have a problem with the Wonders," Cat remarked, noticing the subtle frown that flashed on Lex's face momentarily. "They're doing a wonderful job if you ask me." _

_Internally Lex wanted to scream and tell the plastic bimbo seated in front of him to shut up. No one had asked for her vapid opinion, it was completely inconsequential. But the heir to the Luthor empire had an image to maintain. He couldn't afford any blunder, especially during his first publicly scheduled interview. _

"_It's all a matter of perspective if you ask me, Miss Grant."_

"_How so?" _

"_The Wonders," Lex so greatly despised that word. The fact this era was referred to as the 'Age of Wonders' was a slap in the face to all the scientific progress humanity had made. "Are causing more damage than they are actually fixing." _

"_But how? Crime rates have decreased dramatically in the places the Wonders reside. Heck, Gotham is currently seeing its lowest crime rate in fifteen years!" Miss Grant vehemently argued. She had to admit she did have some bias though, considering the fact Superman had personally saved her life before. _

"_I know where you're going with this," The bat. It was always one of these unfit heroes receiving unwarranted credit. "Instead of associating the drop in crime with Batman can't we simply congratulate the fine job police commissioner Gordon is doing there?" _

"_I made no mention of Batman." _

"_I knew what you were implying," Reporter tricks and backpedaling were not going to work on him. "This is part of the problem I'm speaking of. It seems normal human beings cannot be properly credited with anything now that these super-powered heroes have appeared." _

"_Detective Gordon is doing a fine job from what I've read but..."_

"_But what Miss Grant?" Lex interposed. "Batman still deserves the credit from your viewpoint I'm assuming?" _

"_He, at least, deserves to share some of it, maybe not all of it." The news host conceded with a long sigh. Her breath dragging as she wondered how she even stumbled into this ideological battle with her guest. _

"_But have you ever thought and pondered how much crime is being caused because of people like Batman? Gotham has always been a crime-ridden denizen, but now maniac's like the Joker have risen up to combat these so-called heroes." _

_As much as Cat Grant didn't want to admit it, she had to reluctantly agree with Luthor's words. People like the Joker didn't exist before Batman, or they were at least in hiding if they did. _

"_Take for instance the car chase that took place in East City shortly before our interview. Sure, Wonder Woman manage to apprehend the criminals responsible, but she was still responsible for a hefty amount of damage. On top of that, at least three people were reported dead, a fourth narrowly avoiding the same fate." _

Involuntary shaking spread across Diana's arms as she heard those words. She had done her best to save lives. The fact that a monster like Lex was doing his best to paint her and her friends in a negative light was aggravating, to say the least. If only the world knew about the abominations Luthor was responsible for! It was highly suspicious that he even knew such close details of her scuffle with Intergang, it almost sounded like he was somehow involved.

"_I'm sure Wonder Woman did her best, though," This was all news to Cat. She knew something had occurred in East City but no reports, as of yet, had been so descriptive._

"_I'm sure she did but quite frankly it wasn't enough. In no way, shape or form am I trying to blame or hold Wonder Woman responsible for what happened," Lex quickly differentiated. Her worldwide following was almost cult-like at this point. The backlash would be immense if he even dared suggest such a thing. "But more and more of these kinds of tragedies are happening as a response to these heroes." _

"_Greater tragedies would happen if the superheroes weren't there to prevent them though. If Wonder Woman hadn't been there to stop these aforementioned criminals, more lives would have been lost today." _

"_But those lives were lost as a result of those criminals deeming those actions necessary as an avenue to get away from her," Lex rebutted. "In our own city of Metropolis, I've witnessed this firsthand." _

"_But Superman has been doing a fantastic job don't you think? His approval rating has been through the roof." The Man of Steel was arguably the most popular person in the United States. His constant heroic actions were becoming the thing of legend. _

"_But approval ratings are based on the flimsy whims of people. Nothing ever remains set in stone," Lex was proof of that himself. His father had been hated by the public, but since his mysterious death, LuthorCorp's public perception had improved vastly. _

"_Before our Kryptonian's arrival how many super-powered villains were strolling through Metropolis? The city of tomorrow has never been a crime filled haven like Gotham, but following Superman's appearance a day can't seemingly go by without some Meta-human monster wreaking havoc." _

"_But once again we can't hold Superman accountable for that. Correlation does not necessarily equal causation Mr. Luthor." _

"_I know and recognize that Miss Grant," The annoyance was teeming through Lex's words with every breath. "My main point throughout our entire discussion has been the reaction these heroes have caused. How many super-powered villains have we seen in the just the past few years? Parasite, Livewire, Toyman...need I go on?"_

_A disgruntled scowl fell on Cat's face. Lex raised excellent points there. Not much argument could be made against this position. Meta-humans did appear to be coming out the woodwork now. _

"_As valiant as these superheroes intentions may appear, they are causing as much harm as they seem to be stopping. Lucifer was once an angel. Devils don't come from hell beneath us. They come from the sky." _

Bulma had heard enough. Following that last dramatic soundbite, the billionaire heiress promptly shut off the TV. The aura in the room was noticeably tense as Diana and Goku stood silently fuming at his words. It was now clear what the bald-headed man's intentions were. He no longer sought to remain hidden from the world, manipulating events from the shadows. It wasn't enough anymore. He wanted to destroy Superman, as well as his fellow heroes in the public eye. It was a strategy that was befitting of a man like Luthor's heart **[1]**.

"He sure has some nerve." Goku glowered as he folded his arms. The Saiyan had never physically met Lex Luthor but Clark had filled him in on the details. He was even more pompous than Goku could've imagined.

"Nerve doesn't begin to describe the half of it." Diana growled in frustration. She was seriously beginning to doubt whether that man had any good inside him.

"I don't know how Clark refrains from smashing into LuthorCorp and kicking his ass," Bulma huffed as she rubbed her temples. In truth, she knew that wasn't Superman's style or personality. "I know Bruce has to deal with some real lunatics, but at least, none of his have the funds or power that Lex does."

That was something the trio could all agree to. Batman's brand of villains were maniacal psychopaths, but at the very least none of them would garner public support from anyone. Lex had an entire corporate empire behind him to sway public perception with propaganda.

"Uncle Bruce?" Gohan's eyes lit up and mention of his name. "He used to come visit a lot but I barely see him anymore." The child pouted as his lips began quivering.

Bulma, Clark, and Diana all knew how their friend could be. Batman was an incredibly aloof man. He was fully dedicated to his pursuit of justice, possibly even more so than anyone in the room. That tended to lead to a one track mind, in this case, an obsessive devotion.

"How is he doing, by the way, Bulma? You're the closest out of all of us to him." Diana inquired as she glanced over to her friend. They had known each other since childhood.

"I..I don't know actually," Bulma sighed regrettably. She hadn't heard from him in weeks. "Whatever he's up to, though, I hope he's alright."

* * *

**Age 761 (2011), Gotham **

_Darkness._

It enshrouded him from all angles as he raced through Gotham's dreary rooftops, somersaulting as he dashed across the city's skyline. It was a particularly gloomy night, even for the crime filled metropolis. A downpour of rain drizzled from the sky, indiscriminately soaking everything in sight. People scampered indoors, raced to their cars, scurried under umbrellas to avoid being caught in what was quickly becoming a light monsoon. No one was out and about in the city's entertainment district, which was odd considering it was midnight on a Friday evening.

Actually, that wasn't entirely true.

The dark knight, as well as a significant portion of the police force, were traversing the streets on a city-wide manhunt. Someone or rather a group of criminals had stolen a number of priceless jewels from the diamond district. Those foolish bureaucrats and business owners should have known better than to so boldly advertise a ten million dollar jewelry collection in this city. This was Gotham for goodness sake! That was like dangling immobile prey in front of a snake.

But in all honestly, Bruce was even more surprised by the fact that the jewels had managed to remain safe for this long. He had expected a robbery attempt to be made the same night the diamonds were brought in. He had to at least slightly tip his hat for the fact they managed to hold out for a month. And for once Catwoman wasn't behind this theft, at least from the clues he had deduced to this point.

The thieves had been sloppy, incredibly sloppy in fact. They had tripped the silent alarm mere minutes after they had broken into the store. Selina was a magician at avoiding traps of any kind. Her catlike reflexes and agility certainly lived up to her name. Where she usually messed up was the process of making a clean escape. She always left clues behind of some kind. Polyester fiber from suit, a string of leather from her whip, sometimes even a claw mark on the glass of the case she had stolen from. It was almost like she wanted to get caught, and that certainly appeared to be the case in the close encounters they always had.

But enough of that. Batman needed to remain fixed on the mission for the evening.

Following their rather clumsy theft, the criminals had managed to leave the scene of the crime, though not before a police car spotted them. A quick shootout occurred with the thieves not wanting to chance an unnecessary car chase. But that was where catastrophe had struck. The gunshots from AK-47 tended to travel rather quickly. The response was immediate, and before they knew it Gotham PD was swarming in on them. The last thirty minutes had seen a raucous car chase around the city. Fortunately, almost no one was out tonight and casualties had been minimal, save for the lone police officer thus far.

The ear piece in Bruce's cowl was a constant source of updating information. Tonight he unveiled a new a prototype he had been working on for the last several weeks. Normally he would've been following the chase in his Batmobile but his mechanical suit was allowing him to keep pace with everything down below. The night vision certainly helped as the oblique sky, coupled with the thunderous rain, seemed to be making everything even more obscure to view. His movements were light, a quick hop taking him wherever he desired. His grappling gun was completely unnecessary tonight.

He had built this suit with some of his Meta-Human foes in mind. Bane specifically had been his inspiration as he welded the suit's necessary components. It was intended to be hard-hitting but swift as well. His earlier design had been more powerful and impact resistant, but bulky machinery slowed it down significantly. He still decided to keep that model stashed in the Batmobile, though, who knew when it might come in handy. This model was sleeker, faster, more efficient, and though Batman would never say it- it just quite frankly looked cooler.

Spreading his cape the dark knight prepared himself for the descent below. With his binocular feature, Bruce had been able to view the police barricade coming up just yards away. The goons were far too busy shooting back at the police to actually pay attention to the road. Their recklessness would bite them in the ass once more. In a few seconds, the spike strip ahead of them would flatten their tires, sending them spiraling into arms of the police.

_Well, this night has almost been a complete waste. At least, I got to run a field test with the suit though. Hopefully, I can, at least, gain something from interrogating those thieves. There has to be something larger at work here. No one would be so openly sloppy knowing what the response to the theft of those jewels would be. They have to be working for someone. I'll have to look into the background of the ownership of the diamonds and see..._

Bruce's inner monologue was left unfinished as a shooting star rocketed across the murky skies. What in the world? His eyes narrowed as his binoculars zoomed in on the object, only to curse in dismay as he projected it's trajectory. It's headed straight towards us! Before the Dark Knight could even respond the object impacted the city as it crashed into a nearby building, crumbling it to its foundation. Large tremors soon followed as the surrounding area shook from the mighty force.

Batman managed to stay upright, the spikes in his boots extending as they nailed himself to the rooftop. The structure swayed, but eventually remained upright. The officers down below weren't so lucky, however, as several police cars had been toppled over. A cloud of dust swept over the area momentarily distilling the view. As the microbes of dirt began dispersing, a clearer picture of what had occurred began to form.

Bruce's initial assessment had been completely wrong. It wasn't a shooting star or a meteorite of any kind; it was a large spherical orb. It appeared to be a ship of some kind. Its metal appeared to be incredibly dense considering the fact there wasn't a single scratch or dent on it following its collision. Was this a top secret government prototype being tested over Gotham? He wouldn't put it past them, but factoring in the inclement weather, it was anything but ideal to be doing a test run.

He had to get a better view.

Lowering himself down onto the street, Batman decided to examine the unidentified object up close and personal. The police officers had managed to pull themselves up now and had stumbled to their feet. The unexpected crash had somewhat sidetracked the arraignment of the criminals. A key decision now had to be made. Investigate the mysterious crash, or apprehend the criminals at hand. In a split second decision, the police officers decided to split their manpower and do both. Half of the squadron broke apart and raced to the scene of the chaos while the other half remained fixed on the task at hand.

The first officer to arrive on the scene gawked as he tilted his cap. This wasn't something you saw every day, even in a city as wild as Gotham. There was nothing but ruins left behind in the wake of whatever had struck. Quickly fumbling through various sized pieces of rubble his eyes widened as he reached the epicenter of the destruction. It was a ship of some kind and it appeared to be opening. The other officers who had been trailing behind him finally arrived in time to see the door hatch open, with a long haired man floating out of it.

Bruce frowned as he watched from behind a light pole. He had hoped to remain hidden until absolutely necessary but this new discovery had distorted his plans. His nerves were now suddenly on edge for some reason. He had a terrible feeling about this, and his instincts rarely if ever failed him. Lightning crackled in the sky as one of the officers finally decided to speak up.

"W-w-who are you?" A shaky voice stuttered out. His hand was slowly reaching for his gun. You could never be too safe in Gotham.

The man in question didn't even bother to respond to the question, instead tapping the odd device that was attached to his face. Light beeping, that Bruce only managed to hear due to his enhanced sensors, emerged as numbers began rapidly flashing on the device's screen.

"So the creatures on the planet are still alive? Kakarot has failed us! How pathetic!" Anger dripped from his voice with every infuriated word.

Bruce keyed in on the first half of his words. The creatures on this planet? Quickly putting two and two together, he deduced that the man wasn't an inhabitant of Earth. The idea of extraterrestrial beings was entirely plausible considering the sheer size of the Universe. Hell Superman was an alien himself. He knew the Earth would have a close encounter of the third kind some day, but he did not expect it to be so soon. On top of that, the delegations with new alien were going splendidly sour thus far.

"Answer the question!" Another officer yelled this time, more authoritatively as he cocked back his weapon. There wasn't time to play twenty questions, they had more pressing issues just up the street.

The shout seemed to garner the man's attention as he glanced over to the officer with a brow raised. "A measly power level of ten and you dare have the nerve to attempt to command me?" Hearty laughter ensued as the man lowered himself down to ground level, landing directly in front of the officer.

"Don't you ever raise your voice at me...fool." His face turned dead serious as he outstretched his palm. A sizzling ball of orange energy dispensing as it shot forth towards the officer, obliterating him from the annals of time.

_Shit!_

Bruce cursed as he sprung into action. The surrounding officers all began firing, angrily letting loose their ammunition for their fallen comrade. The spiky haired man chuckled as every single bullet harmlessly bounced off his skin, falling to the ground like the harmless raindrops from above. The squadron all stood in awe, jaws slacking as the man summoned another ball of energy. The ashes of their friend were all that needed to be said about the assured deadliness of what was to come.

But before he could release the energy once more, Batman struck. A Batarang exploded in the would-be assailant's face, momentarily disorienting him enough to disrupt his concentration. With a guttural growl, the dark knight ordered the officers to evacuate the premises immediately. The were a liability at this point would only get in the way. The trooper's wisely heeded Bruce's words and began a mad dash back towards their police cars.

"What do you want?" The voice scrambler in Batman's cowl activated as he yelled the words. Normally his natural menacing tone would be enough to strike fear into the hearts of most criminals, but it was vividly clear this attacker was anything but that.

The steam from the explosion had cleared giving view to the man's spotless face. The Batarang had done nothing. If anything, it had only served to further anger the extraterrestrial as he now furiously glaring towards Bruce.

"Pitiful. Absolutely pitiful," The absolute vitriol behind the words was immense. Batman could distinctively hear the grinding of his teeth as he spoke. "If weaklings like you are the best this world has to offer, I can't see how Kakarot failed to subjugate this planet. Looks like big brother Raditz will just have to do the job."

_Kakarot._ Once again there was mention of that name. The computer in his mask instantly began running through its database as it attempted to locate anyone with that name. _Asiatic, no possibly Semitic origin? _He pondered as data quickly flashed and dissipated before his eyes. An exasperated frown settled onto Batman's face as his mainframe came up with nothing. Not a single result popped up.

There was another alien on Earth besides Clark, who was somehow connected to this less than benevolent invader. Great...just great.

The distinguishable sound of loud beeping halted Bruce's thoughts as the man in question spoke up once more.

"A power level of fifty? That's _almost_ impressive considering the weaklings on this planet."

Power levels? Bruce knew he had heard those words before. His eyes bolted open under the cowl as an epiphany struck him. Goku! The World's Martial arts champion frequently commented on his ability to sense the energy of other people. Master Roshi, as well as the battalion of Goku's other friends, could do it as well. But this man appeared to be able to put it into quantifiable numbers, well, at least, his scouter did.

"But enough of you I don't have time to play with ants." With those passing words, he began levitating into the air once more.

Bruce knew he couldn't allow him to escape.

Speedily grabbing more Batarangs, the dark knight proceeded to rapidly fire them at the still ascending man in the sky. Without batting an eye the alien erased the bat-shaped throwing knives from existence. Multiple balls of azuline energy instantaneously vaporizing them. Ki! Bruce had initially pondered that being the source of his power but couldn't definitively say so until now. But there was no doubt in his mind after seeing that little spectacle.

The veins in Raditz head throbbed as he glanced down towards his attacker. He was on a tight schedule, but he could afford some time to deal with the meddling inhabitants of this planet. Grinning wickedly as he changed his trajectory, his flight path now placing Batman directly in harm's way. The dark knight braced himself as his arms formed a protective x-shaped shield around his face. He was far too expeditious for Bruce to even dream of avoiding.

The two met, harshly, as the full weight of Raditz body slammed into Batman. A large pop was heard as the dark knight was sent tumbling, his body rolling several kilometers down the street, managing to upheave pavement along the way. With an agonizing groan, he slowly climbed to his feet, fortunate that this new suit had carried the brunt of the damage. His head was still ringing as Raditz materialized before him. A dastardly smile flaring as his fist submerged himself into the confines of Bruce's stomach.

His eyes exploded, nearly threatening to dislodge from their sockets as his gut caved in. He was given a chance to momentarily breathe as he collapsed to his knees. The goading eyes of his attacker watching in merriment as he upchucked this evening's meal. His eyes were in a daze. He had never been hit this hard before, not even by a juiced up Bane. His breath was growing heavier with every fleeting moment. But he could not afford to give up now. God only knew what this monster might do if he was allowed to escape.

Struggling to his feet with renewed vigor, Batman recognized what had to be done. His opponent, still cackling madly was caught off guard as he reached into his utility belt and unveiled a small metallic orb. A look of curiosity was the last thing Bruce saw before the smog from the now dropped pellet flooded his view. Loud coughing was heard in the distance as the smoke did its job, granting the dark knight an opportunity to escape.

Bruce didn't know how much time he had bought with that little stunt. In truth he was even lucky his opponent had even been foolish enough to provide such an opening. Raditz, as he'd called himself, was leaps and bounds more powerful than him. One punch had been enough to crack his suit's double plated armor. His only hope now was to get the thrasher suit. It was significantly slower than this current prototype, but it potentially possessed the power to match blows with Raditz.

Tapping a button on his utility belt, the Wayne heir beckoned the Batmobile to him. The smoke would be clearing any second now and the alien would be even more pissed off. That scouter allowed him to track Bruce's every move, there was nowhere he could potentially hide even if he wanted to. Getting rid of it should have been his first priority, but it had got lost in the shuffle during their brief battle. Chastising himself for that mistake Bruce vowed to rectify his error.

"I'll have your head for that Earthling!" Batman's time was up as he heard incensed screaming from down the block.

Hopping into the driver's seat of the Batmobile Bruce rapidly typed codes into the cars computer system. Down the street, Raditz hair thrashed wildly from side to side as he glanced around for his rather sneaky opponent. His eyes narrowing as he finally spotted the behemoth of a vehicle just up the road. Got you. Panic set in as Batman viewed a magenta ball of Ki erupt from his assailants hand, streaking directly towards him. _No, I need more time!_ The sweat under his mask poured, but it was far too late.

A dissonant explosion soon followed, shattering several nearby windows along the way. Large, burning embers, illuminated the rainy night as flames flickered from what was left of the Batmobile. Smirking, thinking his task was completed Raditz flipped around, hopping into the air once more only to be halted by a booming voice from behind. His eyes expanded in confusion as he viewed a mechanical leviathan emerge from the fire.

"Round two." Was all Bruce said as he leaped into the air, the pavement cracking in his wake.

* * *

**Age 761 (2011), Olympus**

"Look at those foolish mortals and their petty dalliances. Don't they realize how fickle it all is?" Hera spat in contempt as she peered into the orchid pool bubbling in front of her. "Futile! How futile it all

is!"

Today the auburn haired goddess was in one of her rather peachy moods. The chalice in her left hand overflowed, dripping onto the sandstone gravel as she angrily gestured towards the flashing image. It a was snapshot of two lovers on what appeared to be a rather romantic date. The Eiffel tower provided a scenic backdrop as the couple leaned over their dinner plates for a passionate kiss.

"Disgusting." A repulsive scowl spread across her godly features as she waved her right hand, expunging the image from her sight.

In truth, Hera should have been overjoyed at the sight. She was after all the goddess of marriage. The love she had just witnessed often lead to marriage, which only served to supplant her power. But in the centuries following her marriage to Zeus, her once sweet disposition had slowly turned bitter. Zeus. It was once a name that sparked torrid flames in her heart. Well in a way it still did, but usually not with positive connotations anymore.

Their romance had once been the things of legend. In his youth her husband had gone to the edges of time and space just to woo her. She still recounted the time he slaughtered an entire battalion of titans just for mispronouncing her name. In hindsight that should have given her a precursor of things to come. Zeus was an incredibly prideful man, a flaw which would eternally haunt their marriage. But she young, vacuous...and in love.

By the mortals modern standards their union had been an abomination. Sister and brother marrying each other was a crime punishable by death in at least a few of the stricter countries on that dustball down below Olympus. But immortals could not be judged by the infantile merits of human morality. Besides there hardly any other readily available options at the time anyways. All of the Olympians were her brothers or sisters in one form or another.

Having seen enough repulsive images for the day, the goddess began to slowly saunter up the massive stairs that lead to her throne. Impassively removing her glittering peacock cloak, the despondent matriarch plopped down into the chair. Arching her head as she leaned back against the gold plating, her mind once again began to run wild, until she was interrupted by soft feathers prickling her skin. It was her ever faithful peacock at her side, attending to her like any loyal pet was supposed to.

"You love me don't you?" Her celeste eyes floundered, almost as if they were awaiting an audible response.

"Oh..of course I do mother. How could you ever doubt that?" A frown settled on Hera's face as she instantly recognized the sound of the sarcastic voice from behind. _Eris_.

"What? You're not happy to see me?" The magenta goddess faux pouted, as she stepped from the shadows. Her eyes blinked rapidly, artificial tears threatening to dribble down her slender cheeks.

"You can cut the act." Her mother scolded as she motioned her pet away. She couldn't even have one peaceful moment of despair?

"But mother I'm just so concerned about you," Both parent and child knew that was a blatant lie. Eris only referred to her as mother when she wished to deride her. "The queen of the gods shouldn't be drowning in misery."

Well, that was something they could actually both agree to. Hera had been locked in her private quarters for the past two months. Outside of that lonely peacock, the wife of Zeus hadn't seen anyone. She had seemingly lost the will to do anything. Her so called husband hadn't even bothered to check up on her, not even once. At the very least Athena and Hermes had scribbled concerned letters. They knew better than to test her temperament when she was in one of these moods. But Eris cared little for her fury; she reveled in it.

"Why are you so distraught anyways mother?" The personification of chaos pondered as she put a thoughtful hand on her chin. "What has father done to you this time?"

In truth, the All-Father had done nothing at all...which was precisely the problem. Her husband, her king, her lover showed her no affection whatsoever. She couldn't recall the last time they had made love, or even so much as kissed. With each passing millennium, the Skyfather seemed to grow more and more distant. His extramarital affairs were nearly innumerable in number. It certainly didn't help considering his consort was the very goddess of marriage.

"Do we really need to recount the list of detestable actions your father has committed?" Hera huffed as she slouched in her chair. She didn't need to retread on all those embarrassments.

"Well since you brought it up," An overly eager Eris persisted. "There was Themis, Eyrynome, Semele, Alcmene..."

"Eris..." Hera grumbled in an annoyed tone.

"Metis, Leto, Hippolyta..."

"Hippolyta!?" At the mention of that name Hera rose with a startled jump.

"Oh, dearest mother you didn't know?" An astounded gasp escaped her daughter's lips. "I thought you knew this entire time."

"You must be lying. Hippolyta would never!" The fiery-haired goddess shouted in total disbelief, her fist angrily slamming into the throne's armrest.

"What reason would I have to lie? Even telling you this benefits me in no way." Eris rebutted. Spilling the beans could potentially place her directly in sight of her father's wrath.

Hera had to concede that point. Though they were mother and daughter Eris had long despised her for reasons unknown. Their relationship was only slightly better than her own with her father Cronus.

"But Hippolyta is one of my most faithful worshipers. Her loyalty to me has been unquestionable. How could she do this to me? Why would she do this to me?" The veracity of Eris words finally began to sink in. The queen's brain wracked as she attempted to contemplate this immense betrayal.

"Mother you won't believe the tale I have for you."Emerald eyes gleamed as Eris leaned over her mother's shoulder. A scheming smirk brimming as she began to unravel years of deceit.

* * *

**Age 761 (2011), Themyscira**

"Are you sure you've gathered all of it?"

"Yes, Derinoe this is every last item that was requested."

"Including a child?"

Reluctantly, Alkyone placed the sleeping baby into the withered hands of Derinoe. There was no coming back from what they were about to do.

"Are you sure this is truly necessary? Is this really the only way?" Alkyone warily inquired. The newborn daughter was sound asleep, her peaceful form completely unaware of the madness that surrounded her.

"She left us no choice." Derinoe grimly stated, her face remaining completely expressionless as she coddled the infant.

By 'she' Derinoe was referring to the queen of the Amazons; Hippolyta. The stranglehold of their monarch's rule had slowly begun to crumble in recent years. Ever since her daughter's disgraceful banishment, decreed by Zeus himself, the Amazons had begun to lose faith in her ruling. Though outright derision would have been completely out of line, several of the queen's sisters started to secretly question her judgment. If she couldn't even control her own daughter, what better of them?

But one incident, not even of the queen's own doing, was not enough to shatter their faith. The Amazons had been immensely loyal to her and her regime for centuries. It would, at least, take repeated incidents before their loyalty began to truly flounder. Over the past eleven years, she and Alkyone had conspired to create such incidents. The first of them being Alkyone's very escape from imprisonment in the dungeons.

The vast majority of Amazons were ignorant of the reasons for her punishment. It was still a hotly contested subject amongst the island's inhabitants. But buying Hippolyta's words her subjects had bought it. So when Alkyone and her compatriots were mysteriously spurred from jail, murmuring about the judgment was brought up once more. Seeds of doubt were slowly furnishing.

Derinoe's belief and faith had already been completely eviscerated by Eris revelation. Though Alkyone and her companions hated Diana, they still possessed immense respect for their queen. But all that changed once the truth had been revealed to them. Wonder Woman was truly the dragon Alkyone had foretold her to be. Their decade-long imprisonment felt even more unjust as the disgusting details of Diana's origins emerged.

Hippolyta had not only lied to her citizens but the gods as well. The magnitude of her deceit was beyond all conception. Athena forbid Hera ever discover the truth. It would surely spell the doom of the Amazons. The queen was supposed to be a living testament to Themyscira's ideals and values. But that whore beguiled her subjects and the very deities responsible for her creation. Loyalty to their queen was a duty every Amazon, but such immense treachery was irreconcilable.

Hippolyta and her seed needed to be cleansed from the Earth. It was the only way to amend for her spider-web of crimes. The idea was bolstered as Hippolyta continued her line of questionable actions, spurning more Amazons. One such act was her decision to secretly attend her daughter's wedding. Her daughter had wed the foolish mortal that trespassed their sacred land years ago. Diana's banishment meant the cessation of all interaction with the Amazons, but Hippolyta had once again bent the rules **[2]**.

The Amazons had been clueless to the whereabouts of their queen when she'd suddenly vanished that particular day. Fury and ire spread throughout the island as Derinoe spilled the tea. The queen's arrival back home was met with very vocal displeasure. A number of Amazons had been converted to Derinoe's side that day. Their zeal and loyalty were sealed as they learned every excruciating detail of their queen's duplicity.

But alas every Amazon could not be swayed by the truth. Some blindly remained loyal to that grandstanding wench. Amazons like Phillipus would die before they ever betrayed their queen. Derinoe didn't even bother attempting to convert staunch followers like her. Their devotion was simultaneously admirable and pitiful. But alas, they would all see the truth in the end. One way or another.

Though Hippolyta's merits and actions had misled the Amazons, her prowess and skill could not be denied. Her leadership, courage, and bravery had pulled her sisters through colossal turbulence. From their ancient battles with monsters of myth to their enslavement and eventual escape from the claws of Hercules- Hippolyta had always led the charge. If not for her cacophony of lies, Hippolyta would have been the perfect liege.

If only. If only...

That was the reason Derinoe and Alkyone stood here today, in the darkest, most well-hidden cave in Themyscira. The queen's bloodline needed to be preserved. Such magnificent qualities could not be allowed to die. If Hippolyta could not rule, her descendant would. One who was free of the stench of man's touch. One who could be perfectly molded into the quintessential Amazon.

"A sacrifice must be made for the greater good of our people." Without a further word the wrinkling woman transferred the baby into the hands of an awaiting witch.

The turquoise woman, with spikes protruding from all angles of her skull, gently grabbed the infant as she proceeded towards a steaming caldron.

"Your sacrifice will not be in vain little one." Alkyone was forced to look away as a jagged knife materialized in the witches hand.

* * *

**Age 761 (2011), Mount Paozu**

"**Noooo**!" With an ear-rattling scream Diana awoke from her bed. Profuse beads of sweat dripped down her perfect porcelain skin as her heart beat began to finally slow. There were something wicked brewing amidst Themyscira.

* * *

**A big thank you to everyone who reviewed chapter 13! **

**Authors Note: **The first chapter in the Saiyan saga arc is complete. There was a lot to get to. This was the longest chapter I've written thus far. You can expect the same structure in the upcoming chapters as well. All the future chapters will be 10K+ from now on unless it's a chapter note or something like that.

**[1]:** Lex Luthor has largely remained hidden from the public eye up until this point. He's been orchestrating various crimes and events during the five year time skip following the previous chapter. Superman and co know of his deeds and treachery but have been unable to directly indict him on anything. He's covered his tracks on all bases. Arrogant as ever it's not enough to simply dismantle Superman from the sideline anymore, he needs to be proactive. Thrusting himself into the public eye he intends to do this through a public relations battle that is now slowly building.

**[2]:** Hippolyta was there in the shadows, but not publicy.

* * *

**Q/A: **

**ElizabethGreene-QueenOfViruses: **This is a DC X DBZ crossover only. Plus I know next to nothing about One Punch Man outside of the episodes I watched.

**Nima:** My issue with Deathbattle regarding Superman vs Goku was the fact they didn't stick to one variation of the character. There are numerous versions of Superman in all forms of media. Deathbattle amalgamated their own Superman from various sources instead of just sticking to one. The should have stuck with Post-Crisis Superman or New 52 Superman and called it a day. On top of that, they falsely attributed certain feats to Superman and miscalculated feats for Goku. I readily admit that the most powerful version of Superman would beat Goku. But the most commonly used versions? Not at all especially after Dragonball Super.

**Kabuto S. Inferno: **

**RecklessBaka:** I'll be using various DC story arcs as well as the DBZ sagas. Can't really say which ones I'll be using at the moment, though. The version of the Kryptonians in this story aren't as xenophobic as they are in mainstream media. The Tuffles and Kryptonians were kindred spirits due to their shared interest in science and technology. The Green Lantern/PTO thing will be explained in later chapters. Yes, other villain groups will be formed later on. You'll just have to read later on and see about Fate/Zatanna. Clark signed up as Superboy for the tournament.

**ThatGuy brother of OtherGuy: **In previous chapters I stated that Superman would gradually grow into his power. Superman was barely above his Golden Age incarnation, in terms of strength, in the previous chapter. He'll eventually become the powerful Man of Steel we all know and love. But in the previous chapter, he was indeed weaker than Diana and Krillin. Even in the previous chapter, I mentioned the fact Clark had no training and had never been involved in a serious fight before either.

**Guest:** Jaco might make an appearance later on

**Graig: **Real life and sometimes a lack of motivation often times keep from updating as much as I should. Thanks for the praise but there are several other good stories in this section as well.

**Johnny Spectre: **I never actually pondered the parallels between Athens, Sparta, the Kryptonians, and Saiyans. Great point.

* * *

**Character Ages:**

**Gohan: 3**

**Piccolo: (Technically) 8**

**Chiaotzu: 23 **

**Goku: 24**

**Wonder Woman: 24**

**Superman: 24 **

**Krillin: 25**

**Bulma: 28**

**Batman: 28 **

**Yamcha: 28 **

**Lex Luthor: 28**

**Tien: 28 **

**Raditz: 29 **


	15. Attack of the Saiyans II: Reckoning

_Thoughts_

"Speech"

**Disclaimer: DC and DBZ belong to their respective owners; I own nothing.**

**Chapter 15: Attack of the Saiyans II: Reckoning**

* * *

**Age 761 (2011), Mount Paozu, Chikyu **

Sliding her wrist gauntlets on Diana sighed as she gazed into the mirror before her. It was twelve on the dot when she was awoken by a terrifying nightmare. In truth it felt more like an ominous premonition but she could not be certain. It was said that every Amazon had a mystical tie to Paradise island. An invisible string connected all of them to their ancestral homeland.

If that was indeed true then Themyscira was in great danger. The dream...no _vision _that she had received sent chills down her spine. Her screams had alerted her husband who had immediately jumped out of his bed on high alert. Fortunately it had just been a nightmare, much to his relief. After reassuring Goku that things were ok the exiled princess had slipped out of bed following his return to sleep.

There was something pulling her, tugging on her to return to her homeland. Her sentence was not yet complete, but she had to make sure things were alright back home. No matter the cost even if it meant added years of exile she would see Themyscira once more. Sadly this was not a trip Goku would be able to take with her. He was her heart, her better half, the first face she saw every morning...but she knew how her sisters were. Goku's accompaniment on this trip would not end well if discovered.

This was something she had to do alone.

Finishing the touches to her outfit the Amazon took one final glance in the mirror before she departed out the door. She left a letter to at least notify her husband about what was going on. Sauntering into her bedroom she smiled at the snoozing form of her lover before exiting the master suite. Stepping into the hallway she took several steps down the corridor before approaching her son's room. Slightly opening it, avoiding any unnecessarily loud steps, the princess crept into the room. Pecking her sleeping child's forehead Diana smiled as she took a moment to soak in this image. Shifting her attention back to the task at hand Zeus daughter began her walk towards the door.

Unbeknownst to the Amazon, this would be the last encounter she would have with her son for years.

* * *

**Age 761 (2011), Gotham**

Gotham city was _ablaze_.

For the past half hour the fight between Raditz and Batman had spiraled out of control. The Saiyan was a lunatic with no regard for human life. Most of the battle on Batman's part was spent defending potential victims and buildings from his reckless energy beams. The thrasher suit, which Alfred had so wonderfully named, provided the necessary protection Bruce needed. The strength and armor plating allowed the dark knight to withstand the vicious attacks...the only downside to that was the lack of speed.

Cocking his hand back just in the nick of time Batman managed to time his attack well enough to match the pace of his attackers. The reverberation of the colliding strikes sent a shockwave that immediately brought every nearby car alarm to life. Windows shattered as the two fighters distanced themselves once more. The thrasher suit was functioning at maximum capabilities, but there was no telling how truly powerful this otherworldly invader truly was.

"This world is chalk full of surprises. To think that this feeble planet possesses technology such as this." Underneath the suit's helmet Bruce smirked. In the Saiyan's own half-assed way...it was a compliment.

"I'm giving you one final last chance to surrender and turn yourself in." The voice modulator was speaking at it's deepest baritone.

"A Saiyan like myself will never abide by words of a pitiful Earthling." The disgust was evident in Raditz voice as his arms folded across his chest.

_Saiyan? That must be the species he belongs to._ _Maybe Clark's ship will have information on them._

"Have it your way then." When dealing with violent criminals Bruce preferred to use his fists anyways.

Taking charge Batman quickly spun into action. Raising his arm, an assortment of weapons emerged as Bruce began firing. Armor piercing bullets, grenades, and small rockets all rained down on the wild haired Saiyan. Explosion after powerful explosion echoed throughout the demolished street as the suit unloaded everything it had. Something _had_ to give.

But as the dust finally settled the annoyed expression on Raditz dispelled any hope Bruce previously had.

"That's it?" Those words were the last thing Batman heard before he was sent flying. A clap of thunder, even louder than the ones in the sky above, followed as Bruce was sent flailing through several walls of concrete. His reaction was immediate, hastily hopping back to his feet as he shook off the impact. A few slabs of broken cement but otherwise everything was okay.

The heat sensors on his suit flared up informing him of the newly arrived presence of his opponent. Crashing in through the gigantic hole in the ceiling, the Saiyan began indiscriminately firing Ki beams. Instinctively Batman's arms shot up, forming a protective barricade. The beams ricocheted off his armor but the surrounding building was not so lucky. The structural support of the former office building collapsed as the beams detonated.

Eventually stumbling out of the rubble Batman darted around as his sensors attempted to locate his suddenly missing foe. His opponent was toying with him. Queuing in on the tangible shift of vibrations in the air, Bruce turned in time to be met with a punch to the face. The mechanical leviathan staggered backwards, pavement shattering as the dark knight came to a painful stop. Raditz gave him no time to breathe though and quickly struck once more.

The Saiyan's attack was even more powerful than the last. A bone rattling punch to the ribs reverberated throughout his chest plate. An audible groan could be heard as a knee to the abdomen brought the one ton robot to it's knees. Wincing, but shaking it off, Bruce glanced up in time to see an aquamarine Ki blast materialize in front of his face. Acting quickly the billionaire heir activated the flashlight on his chest.

The Saiyan scoffed momentarily at the illuminated bat symbol on the suits chest, before his field of vision was flooded by UV rays. Agonizing screams were heard as Raditz painfully clutched his eyes. Bruce had built that feature with the Man-Bat in mind. Jumping to his feet the caped crusader attacked with renewed vigor. This was the largest opening his opponent had conceded.

With the power to level a building Batman hurled punch after punch on the defenseless Saiyan. The dark knight shifted all of the suit's power into his fists. Tremendous shockwaves resonated throughout the battered area. The strength of the blows would've been enough to level any one of Gotham's normal criminals, but Raditz was unaffected. Finally having had enough, the annoyed extraterrestrial raised his hand managing to palm one of the incoming strikes.

"This is tiresome."

With an almost effortless tug the Saiyan began ripping the mechanical arm off. Inside the suit alarms were blaring as the computer system notified Batman of the damage being taken.

_Power Levels at 90% and dropping fast_

Struggling with all his might Bruce attempted to break free of the iron-clasp hold but to no avail. Raditz was now at the carbon fiber layer of the thrasher suit. If he wouldn't let go willingly, Bruce would just have to force him. Raising a gigantic foot the jet boosters activated. Searing heat, well over the human limit blazed the Saiyan's skin. Raditz was eventually forced to let go as another foot doubled the sudden heat wave.

With haste Batman blasted off dashing into the skies above. The mechanical sparks were still sputtering from what was left of his robotic arm. A few seconds more and Raditz would've possible ripped his arm from it's socket. Elevating to a safe enough distance the caped crusader paused as he gazed down at the destruction below. The entertainment district was almost completely leveled.

A mile long radius of stores, houses, and shops were annihilated. Firefighters stood just outside the chaos hoping to wither the torrid flames caused by their battle. Bruce had to take the fight out of the city. Only God knew how many millions worth of damage they had caused already. If he could just get Raditz to the bay he would be able to minimize any further damage. But the dark knight would not be given that opportunity as a streaking figure suddenly rammed into him at super sonic speeds.

Pieces of steel were instantly crushed as Raditz impacted him. The computer system warned Bruce that his power levels had just dropped another ten percent. The Saiyan was relentless as ever, vanishing and continuously reappearing in a streaky blur around the caped crusader. His sensors were going ballistic attempting to track his speedy foe but to no avail.

"Pitiful."

That was the only word Bruce was able to decipher before he was attacked from seemingly every angle. Fist, knee, leg, chop, in a brutal routine hammered him from every perceivable location. Critical damage was taken to his armor. For the first time during the entire fight his body, which was supposed to be shielded by an exoskeleton, was taking visceral damage. The Saiyan was moving far too expeditiously for Batman to even hope to keep up with. At this rate he would be finished in a few more seconds.

_I have to do something!_

Scowling inwardly at being forced to use this protocol, Batman began siphoning the suit's power into his chest. This would at least chop the suit's energy levels in half but Bruce had no other choice at the moment. Pausing as he awaited the next flurry of blows, the dark knight pounced as he felt the strikes dent his armor. With an angry roar Batman expelled a wave of sizzling electricity from his chest.

Raditz was instantly flung back, tumbling out of the sky as a large white haze illuminated the area. Miles below on the ground detective Gordon winced as he shielded his eyes from the abrupt light. He had never seen anything like this in Gotham. Whatever Batman was doing up above he hoped it was working. If the criminal who attacked their city survived, there would be no hope for anyone.

_Power levels at 40% and dropping._

Bruce huffed as the computer notified him of the rapid drop. Soon he wouldn't even have enough energy to maintain flight. He needed to get out of the sky and conserve what little power he had available. Spotting an empty lot not too far away Bruce began his descent. He was almost there before he was sent crashing into the cement from an unexpected kick.

"I've had enough of your games!" Raditz screamed as he shoved Bruce further into the ground. His fists doing the job this time.

For the next several minutes Batman's head was treated like a basketball. The Saiyan would slam him even further into the dirt, only to pick him up again and repeat the brutal process. By the sixth go around the helmet encasing the caped crusaders head began to give way. Raditz took immense pleasure as the scraps of metal protecting his opponent began to shred to pieces.

"Not so tough now huh?" The question was more rhetorical than anything.

In truth this entire battle had been a sham. Nothing Bruce had done had effected the Saiyan in the slightest. Raditz had the power to end him and this little charade from the onset of his attack. This harsh truth was supplanted as the otherworldly invader lifted Batman to his feet, raising him to eye level. There wasn't a single scratch on his face. The only damage he had suffered were minor smudges on his armor, and even that was inconsequential.

Grinning wickedly, the Saiyan began tearing off the armor that Bruce had worked so hard to forge. The arms, the legs, and torso, were all violently ripped apart exposing a very shell-shocked Batman to the dreary night. The final piece to go was his helmet which weighed at least one thousand pounds. Harmlessly tossing it to the wayside Raditz hands clamped down on his neck. Oxygen quickly began to evaporate from his lungs as the Saiyan squeezed with glee. But what came next was an absolute surprise.

A tail emerged from the Saiyan's backside, quickly wrapping around the dark knight's neck as Raditz freed his hand. In the midst of battle Bruce had failed to notice such a glaring abnormality. _This is somehow related to Goku! _He would have to curse himself out later though. Right now he needed some help. Summoning what little strength he had left Bruce managed to slip a hand into his utility belt, pressing a button on a device given to him by a dear friend.

* * *

**Age 761 (2011), Metropolis**

The clanking of a keyboard was heard as Clark Kent hammered away. His deadline was in just a couple hours. Perry would kill him if he was late again, well not literally speaking of course. The Daily Planet had moved to a primarily digital market now. Papers just weren't selling like they used to in the chief's heyday. On top of that new social media platforms like Twitter were making it possible for practically anyone to do a reporter's job.

Sighing as he slumped back into his seat Clark ran his fingers through his hair. The words to this article just couldn't seem to form. It was a story centered around Lex's formal introduction to the world earlier today. As a writer Clark was finding it extremely difficult to be non-biased especially when he knew the truth about the LuthorCorp CEO. Kal-El prided himself on upholding truth, justice, and integrity, but sometimes that put him in direct conflict with his occupation.

Lex had appeared charismatic as usual. His charm, smile, and well mannered looks were enough to beguile most of the viewers. Heck even Lois had commented on how dashing he was, much to Clark's annoyance. Years ago that would've been out of jealously, but those feelings for General Lane's daughter had withered away. Lois was still a close friend of his, but he had long since realized her love, or rather infatuation with Superman, did not extend to Clark Kent. **[1]**

His irritation had been brought on by the fact that Lex had been able to snake his way into the hearts of many so easily. His interview had only further angered the Kryptonian. His constant jabs at the Earth's heroes didn't go unnoticed. Cat Grant's naivety didn't help either. In their quick battle of words Lex kept her on the ropes and even managed to make her second guess herself.

That silver tongue was what helped Lex climb his way up the corporate ladder, as well as the criminal underworld. If only the world knew of his connection to several international crime rings, the racketeering, and war mongering he responsible for. Not to mention the fact that he had played a role in his father's _mysterious _death. If Lex's deeds ever came to the light he would be buried underneath a jail with no hope for parole. But as usual the genius level intellect was always one step ahead.

The LuthorCorp CEO knew how to keep his hands clean publicly. There was nothing that Clark or Batman could ever legally tie him to. The only reason Superman knew of his numerous crimes and illicit affairs was because of his superpowers. That's what made writing and OP-Ed piece about him so difficult. Deep down Clark knew what kind of a monster he was but could not publicly prove any of it.

"Maybe a quick break will help? I wonder what's on TV."

Reaching over for the remote Clark flipped the TV open as he walked over to the couch. His apartment wasn't anything spectacular, especially on a journalist salary, but it was his. His skin had barely made contact with the soft leather before a breaking news alert flashed across his screen.

"_I'm Summer Gleason live with breaking news from downtown Gotham."_

Clark's ears perked up at this. Gotham was hundreds of miles away from Metropolis, there was no reason for him to be receiving a news broadcast from them.

"_The causalities from this brutal fight between Batman and the still unknown assailant are still piling up_."

"Bruce?" Kal leaned up in his seat as the camera panned to the destruction behind them. Entire city blocks were decimated, streets were ablaze with flames as smoke rose to the skies.

"_Things do not look good here folks._ _We're still waiting on word from the governor on whether or not this is a state of emergency." _

"Bruce would never allow his city to reach this level of destruction, something has to be horribly wrong. Where is he?" Gotham had witnessed a number of horrific events over the years, but nothing had ever been of this magnitude. Batman would've died before allowing _his_ city to befall so such a fate.

_Dead? No..Bruce can't possibly be dead! _The thought was completely inconceivable to Clark.

"_No word yet on what's happened with Batman but the caped crusader hasn't been seen for the past five...!" _

The screen went blank and was quickly followed by an error message. Something had just interrupted the broadcast. Clark knew how much Bruce hated other heroes venturing into_ his_ city, but for the sake of his life he had to do it. He had to make sure the dark knight was still alive and breathing. In a blur of red and blue Clark swapped his t-shirt and slacks for the infamous Kryptonian suit.

He was nearly out the door when the beeper on his desk went off. It was the one he had given Batman in case of a serious emergency. Bruce had never used it before, not even when the Joker had nearly poisoned the entire east coast. Whatever warranted this required the utmost urgency.

* * *

**Age 761 (2011), Themyscira**

"Derinoe what is the meaning of this?" An incensed Hippolyta questioned as the elderly woman barged into throne room.

"Your reign is over Hippolyta." The gray haired woman's eyes were as icy as ever as she pointed towards her liege.

"My reign is over?" The confused queen parroted. "What you say is treason. Bite your tongue old friend." Derinoe's words alone were sanction enough for punishment. "How did you even get in here?"

The throne room was the queen's inner sanctum, a quiet space that allowed her to privately process her thoughts. There were guards posted round the clock in this area of the palace. Her soldiers would've halted Derinoe's charge or notified the queen at the very least.

"Don't worry about that." A wicked smile settled onto Derinoe's face as she thought back to the three bloodied bodies just outside the front door. "Your day of reckoning has come."

"Day of reckoning? Why are you being so cryptic? Speak what you mean!" Something was seriously wrong about this situation.

"Your lies Hippolyta...they've finally come to the light. How long did you keep you could withhold the truth about Diana from us? From the gods?"

"I-I don't know what you mean." The queen stammered as she took a frightened step back. Had Derinoe truly discovered her secret?

"Even now you attempt to deny it Hippolyta, what a shame." The elder Amazon's head hung low as she shook it in disgust. "As our queen you were supposed to be the paragon of truth and justice. But not only have you deceived your subjects...you've deceived the gods themselves!"

"I did it to protect us!"

"So you finally admit it!"

The queen's hands quickly clasped over her mouth realizing what she had just said.

"You hid the truth of Diana's birth from us all. You constantly warned us of the evils of man...but succumbed to one! You are the ultimate hypocrite!"

It was a fact Diana's mother could not deny. She had guided her Amazons with one selective train of thought, but had ignored her own warnings.

"Forgive me Derinoe for the lies and treachery I have spawned but you must understand none of this was intentional." Hippolyta pleaded.

"It wasn't intentional? Leading us to believe your daughter was born free of the stench of man _wasn't _intentional? Frolicking with Zeus while warning us of the evils of his sons _wasn't _intentional?" Visceral anger spread through Derinoe's body, her hands trembling as she questioned the audacity of her queen.

"I never intended for things to reach this level Derinoe you must believe me." Hippolyta sighed as she palmed her forehead. "Night after night I used to cry to the gods begging to know the joys of child rearing. More than anything I have always wanted a family."

"And your loyal Amazons were not enough?"

"They were but...even they could not fill the void in my heart. I wanted to experience the same feeling I've witnessed several women on this island enjoy. After my constant prayers and crying out to the gods, the king of them all appeared before me. I had hoped for Athena or even Hera, but had _never _expected Zeus."

"And let me guess he swept your poor little heart of it's feet?" Derinoe's eyes rolled as her face blanched. The father of Olympians could've doubled as the trickster god.

"Yes...he did. We began having nightly conversations about my prayer request and just life in general. Night after night we would meet in Athena's temple. At first I kept my guard up against him, knowing full well of his enchantment of several women across the centuries. But eventually his charm began to win me over."

"And the same thing happened with Semele, Maia, Mnemosyne..."

"Alcmene and the list goes on and on...I know sister. But in my foolish pride I believed I would not fall victim like them. But one night I was unable to resist devilish temptation- the night of Diana's inception. After that night Zeus fled, our evening meetings became a thing of the distant past. Once he got what he wanted...he simply up and left."

"You should have known. He's the father of the same demigod who tormented you and our kingdom!" The apple didn't fall too far from the tree especially when it came to the gods.

"I know, I know. I berated my self for several days afterwords until I discovered that I was pregnant."

"Days?" The haggard Amazon questioned. It was impossible to know of such information in such a short amount of time.

"When you're carrying the child of a god...all rules go out the window."

"Incredible."

"In a matter of days my stomach expanded in what should have taken nine months. It was almost impossible to keep the secret hidden. I didn't want anyone to know of my shame. On the night of her birth I knew I had to do something. So I devised the story which we all know today."

"You went to a secluded part of Themyscira, on the beach, with clay in hand, and returned hours later with a newborn child in hand. You claimed it was answered prayers from the gods."

"It's something I regret immensely to this day. I should have been honest, I should have been upfront with you all...but I wasn't. I was afraid of the possible push-back from my Amazon sisters. But most of all I was afraid of what Hera might do if she discovered it."

"But your deceit has only endangered us further. Hera's punishment, while brutal would not have been everlasting. But by hiding the truth for so long you've not only enhanced the bulls eye on your back, but the Amazons as a whole."

"I never intended for this to h..."

"Silence! The time for talk has long since ended. Your reckoning is at hand." Snapping her fingers Derinoe beckoned her guest who had been quietly waiting just outside the room.

"No! It can't be! How can this be possible?" Hippolyta screamed in fright as she saw the ensanguined figure step forward.

"Oh...but it is my _queen_."

* * *

**Age 761 (2011), Gotham**

With a sonic boom Superman arrived in the city. Pressing his limits like never before it had only taken the Kryptonian one minute to arrive in Gotham. He was admittedly tired but would have to persevere on. Bruce, as well as the entire city of Gotham was in dire need. Pausing momentarily as he hovered above the city's normally pristine skyline, Clark couldn't help but gasp at the destruction he surveyed. Entire swaths of city blocks were completely destroyed. What was capable of such power?

Shaking it off Kal-El shifted his focus back to the matter at hand. He had to locate Batman. Blocking all unnecessary distractions Superman attempted to key in on Bruce's heartbeat. In a city of millions this would be quite the task but Clark had made significant strides with his powers over the years. _Ambulances, police sirens, fire-hoses, crying. Come on come on...where are you Bruce? _

Gritting his teeth in frustration Superman decided to solely focus on the heart of the chaos. That was his best bet at at locating Batman. As he closed his eyes once more Clark's enhanced senses picked up on the sound of several bones snapping. There was a nearby voice laughing maniacally as someone's agonizing screams grew louder. _That has to be him. Gotcha. _

Wasting no time Superman descended to the proverbial heart of the storm. Detective Gordon was nearly knocked down as a powerful wind of gust blew by him. The blistering flames surrounding the now desolated entertainment district would've scorched anyone besides Superman, but Clark felt nothing as he sped to his friend in need. His eyes blazed red with anger as he finally arrived at Batman's location.

"You got here faster than I could've even hoped for." Bruce smiled weakly as a trickle of blood leaked down his chin.

"Save your energy Batman." Clark urged as he waved his comrade off. With a quick scan of his X-ray vision he could tell that Bruce was in need of extensive medical care.

"No...there's something you _need_ to know first Superman!" Batman exclaimed as he lifted a finger towards the long appendage wrapped around his neck.

_A tail?! _

Clark had been so concerned about the state of his friend that he had almost forgotten about the assailant at hand. This mysterious criminal had been squeezing Bruce's neck with what appeared to be a furry brown tail. Even when Clark made his presence known this attacker hadn't even bothered to turn around and face him directly.

"Let him go!" If there had been any nearby windows they would've shattered instantly under the weight of Superman's voice.

"I'm getting tired of you miniscule fleas. Maybe you'll provide some adequate entertainment for..." Raditz words trailed off as he finally turned to greet his new opponent. His eyes expanding in shock as they fell upon the gigantic red s emblazoned on Kal-El's shirt. "You're a Kryptonian!"

While this wasn't a surprise to anyone who knew Superman's origin, the tone in which the Saiyan uttered the words implied a deeper knowledge.

"I thought your _pitiful_ race were all dead. We were told that Frieza crushed your entire species like the insignificant ants you are." Raditz head shook in disbelief. "To think Frieza allowed one of you to survive. He probably doesn't even know that one of you escaped. If I capture you and bring you in...he might even reward me."

_Frieza? Krypton's destruction? Clark has always maintained that Krypton was destroyed by a cataclysm of sorts. But what is Frieza? _Bruce pondered as he battled the incoming fatigue.

Superman's gaze hardened as he glared at the scheming man before him. His spaceship possessed an archive of Krypton history and lore, but it had never been able to tell him what caused his home world's destruction. Up until this point all Clark knew was that something had destroyed his planet almost instantly. The man in front of him appeared to have the information that he had desired for so long. But unfortunately the present circumstances wouldn't allow for much of a discussion. There was a city burning because of him. Superman would properly question him _after_ he was in custody.

"I don't know who you are or where you're from...but on Earth we don't allow this sort of thing."

"You don't know of your history? Our shared history? I thought you Kryptonian fools were so adamant about recording everything."

"Our shared history?" Superman muttered in confusion, largely ignoring Raditz insult.

"Our races were at war for hundreds of years. We are hated enemies even in death."

A chill went down Clark's spine as the words left Raditz lips. This couldn't possibly be true. From what he had learned the Kryptonian's were a largely peaceful race. None of his archives had revealed this information. Why wouldn't this have been included? Especially if this war was long as Raditz claimed it to be.

"You truly don't know?" The Saiyan chuckled as he viewed Clark's perplexed facial expression. "I guess it doesn't matter anyways seeing as ninety nine percent of your people are dead. And you'll be joining them!"

Superman was caught by surprise as Raditz suddenly charged towards him. His speed was incredible arriving in front of the Kryptonian before he could even blink. His fist cocked back hoping to catch the man of steel off guard once more, but was halted as Clark's hand wrapped around his wrist.

"I don't think so."

The Saiyan was sent flying as Clark easily tossed him aside, sending him hurdling down what was left of the street.

"Don't worry Bruce I'm going to get you out of here and get you the medical attention you need." Superman said as he dashed over to his injured comrade.

"Don't worry about me Clark." Batman chastised as the Kryptonian attempted to lift him up. "You can't hesitate for a second with an opponent like him. He's incredibly danger..."

Batman's words died on his lips as Raditz zoomed by, slamming into the unsuspecting man of the steel. It was the Kryptonian's turn to go for a ride as he was send tumbling in the opposite direction, leaving Batman to drop harshly to the ground.

"I'll be back to deal with you later."

With a malicious grin the Saiyan blasted off quickly tracking down Clark's location. The last son of Krypton was already back on his feet, when the Saiyan arrived hurling multiple Ki beams at the man of steel. Superman's hands became a blue blur as they rapidly moved to parry the seemingly endless Ki volley. Normally Clark would have been worried with the potential damage he was causing while deflecting the energy attacks, but fortunately there were no civilians left in this sector of the city.

With a hard smack Kal-EL batted away the last Ki attack, sending it flying into the night sky. Raditz watched mildly impressed before surging forward once more. _Not this time. _Meeting him stride for stride the two titans met halfway, the resulting shockwave forcing both of them back. Skidding to a halt Superman decided to enact a different tactic this go around. As Raditz leaped into battle once more he was abruptly stopped as a solid wall of ice began to encase him.

"W-w-what is this?!" The perplexed Saiyan shouted incredulously.

"Frost breath." Clark proudly replied as he closed his mouth, shutting off the sudden winter flurry.

Judging from the power he had witnessed just moments earlier Superman knew it wouldn't be able to hold the Saiyan long. Raditz fists were already glowing red with energy to break free. Thinking quickly Superman began to circle his trapped assailant. Blue and red streaks began zipping around the area as Clark gained momentum. While the man of steel's movements were impressive, it was nothing the Saiyan couldn't keep up with. His eyes tracked the Kryptonian every second of the way.

But suddenly Raditz vision began to grow blurry. What he was once able to perceive became a foggy blip. The oxygen was quickly being expelled from his lungs with each passing second. It was at this moment that the Saiyan realized what his foe was intent on doing. Superman was attempting to siphon the air from his lungs and knock him unconscious. It was an ingenious plan and might have worked if Raditz hadn't managed to free his tail.

With perfect timing the Saiyan's furry appendage slammed into Clark managing to trip the Kryptonian. Superman stumbled, monetarily knocked off balance, giving the Saiyan just the time he needed. With an angry shout Raditz broke free of his icy prison. Two Ki beams instantly obliterated the sheet of frozen water. Scowling, Superman was once again forced on defense as Raditz blitzed him.

Clark realized he needed to take the battle as far away as possible from Bruce, and quickly leaped into the sky. Giving chase the Saiyan immediately followed, the pair engaging in aerial game of cat and mouse as the man of steel ascended higher and higher in altitude. An array of ki beams forced the Kryptonian to swerve in every conceivable direction as Raditz indiscriminately attacked. Kal-El still hadn't abandoned his previous plan of attack. If he couldn't forcefully suck the oxygen from Raditz lungs, the planet's atmosphere would naturally do it for him.

At the rate of his acceleration Clark would soon reach the thermosphere. He had never ventured out this far before and was unsure if his body could handle the pressure. But hopefully even if it didn't, his extraterrestrial foe would fall prey to it as well. _Almost there! _With a final push Superman hovered at the edge of the exosphere, the world beneath him jumbling together like a colorful puzzle. He halted to scan for his opponent but saw nothing.

_Did he figure out my plan? _

"Even after all these years you foolish Kryptonians never learned how to sense Ki!"

Superman was blindsided as a Raditz materialized behind him, a powerful kick to the back sending him soaring. Clark was given no time to recover as Raditz capitalized on the massive opening, taking ample time to thoroughly punish the Kryptonian. With each shout that was uttered, the pain only intensified for the man of steel. The Saiyan's blows quickened as he observed the anguish that Kal-El was in. A malignant smile crept onto Raditz face as Superman's blood began to splash onto his clothing.

Clark had _never_ felt pain like this before. Was this what it felt like to truly be mortal? Before he could properly dwell on the question a luteolous beam of energy exploded in his face. An ear rattling explosion followed as Superman's now steaming body began to lose altitude. As painful as the heat that was now bombarding his face was, Clark had to brush it off.

Superman's flight finally ended after a few hundred yards. Shaking the cobwebs clogging his mind, he looked up just in time to receive a right hook from Raditz. His neck twisted, pain receptors bursting to life. Sluggishly, Clark attempted to retaliate. His lethargic punch was easily slapped away by Raditz right hand. His follow up roundhouse kick wasn't much better, and was easily evaded by the Saiyan.

Still in kicking motion, the man of steel left his stomach wide open for attack. Raditz happily accepted that invitation and promptly slammed his fist into the Kryptonian's stomach. A blood laden gasp escaped Clark's lips as he reeled back from the blow. His torment further increased as Raditz violently grasped his head and slammed it into his knee.

Superman's skull violently snapped back as it was let go. Blood was now trickling down his nose as he glared as his grinning adversary. Raditz outclassed him in almost every feasible way **[2]**. Whatever Batman had done during his encounter with the Saiyan had little to no effect in slowing him down. Even if he did somehow manage to stop Raditz what sort of prison would be even able to hold him? But that was a question for much later, right now he had to worry about just _surviving_ this fight.

Flaring his eyes with heat vision Superman pounced, this was sure to be his most brutal fight yet.

* * *

**Age 761 (2011), Themyscira**

With a soft thud Diana landed on the eastern shores of paradise island. For years she had dreamed of this day. Returning home, hopefully to welcome arms, as she was reunited with her sisters. Unfortunately the circumstances that had beckoned for her return were anything but pleasurable. The foreboding skies above certainly didn't help her disposition as she began her long trek into the forest.

The second she arrived Wonder Woman should have been attacked. Queen Hippolyta always assigned a few Amazons to watch over Themyscira's beaches. The atrocities that Hercules had committed still resonated with the Amazons till this day. They would never be caught off guard was once more. With all of that said it was incredibly baffling for Diana to have met no one upon arrival. Maybe things had changed over the years?

Slipping into the shrubbery of the forest Diana couldn't shake the ominous feeling that something just wasn't right. The Amazons at the beach were supposed to be the first line of defense, followed by their sisters who were camouflaged in the woodlands. But once again the daughter of Zeus hadn't been encountered by anyone. At the very least she was expecting a minimal fight of some sort. Hell even a booby trap or two right now would've settled her nerves, but there was nothing.

Wonder Woman had elected to land on the eastern shore because of it's proximity to the capital city. Once she zig-zgged her away across the forest it would be a short walk to the palace. With no Amazons currently present to challenge her, Diana's travel time would be even shorter. But as she traversed through the lines of enormous trees her eye's widened in horror as she saw smoke rising from the distance.

_What is going on?! _

Her premonition appeared to be true as she raced through the forest finally reaching the outskirts of Paradise city only to stop in horror. _No! No! This can't be real! _A panicking hand rose to clamp Diana's mouth shut as she glanced over the piles of dead bodies that littered the street before her. This was even worse than she could have imagined. Sisters who she had grown up with, adored, and cared for laid slain after what appeared to be a tremendous battle.

_Who is responsible for this?!_

Sadness quickly turned into anger as the Amazon's rage began to intensify. As much as she wanted to steamroll ahead and locate who was responsible for such wanton death, Diana knew she had to be sensible. It would be best to remain hidden, at least momentarily, until she could discover just who was behind this. Who was to say she could even stop the monster or monsters who were capable of this? In a worse case scenario she would at least need to be able to discretely leave Themyscira to call for backup.

Creeping onto the ensanguined road Wonder Woman moved with blinding speed as she climbed onto the rooftop of a nearby house. Lying flat on her stomach Diana's eyes shifted round as she scouted the rooftops. _Nothing. _Who ever attacked hadn't cared enough to secure an aerial view of the island. This led Wonder Woman to believe it hadn't been the work of an invading army. That was one of the first thing's any army would do after securing a location.

_Could it have been mystical monsters of some sort then?_

Diana's mother often told her of ancient battles that the Amazons had with gorgons, cyclopes, harpies, and other magical creatures. Maybe one of them had returned for revenge? But that was thousands of years ago. Would any creature truly be that spiteful? There had been no footprints or tracks left behind to identify them either. _Could it be possible that Hercules has broken free from his... _

Diana's train of thought was halted as squadron of Amazons suddenly came marching through the street below. They were dressed in full ceremonial Amazon battle armor. The blood splattered on their cloths indicated that they had been involved in a battle as well. But none of them paused to pick up the remains of their fellow sisters. One of the Amazons even went out of her way to trample on the corpse of a beheaded sister. It was then that an epiphany struck the princess.

No foreigner had invaded the island. The Amazons had fought amongst themselves! But why?

Leaping onto the next roof Diana followed the battalion of warriors. Roof after roof was hurdled as Zeus daughter silently kept pace with the Amazons below, her chase eventually leading her to the entrance of the palace. The destruction Wonder Woman had witnessed at the outskirts of the city had been appalling but this..._this_ was on a completely different level. Scores of dead Amazons lay piled up on another. The stench of death was completely overwhelming. Diana was not naive when it came to war or battle but what had occurred here had been a complete massacre.

She could remain hidden no longer.

"Stand down!" With furious rage Wonder Woman ordered the five guards surrounding the palace to scatter.

The women in question all looked up as the queen's daughter descended from the sky. Sharing a momentary glance with one another they all nodded before suddenly charging towards Wonder Woman.

"Kill the dragon!"

_The dragon? What? _Diana was perplexed but was forced to toss her thoughts aside as a spear jabbed at her ribs. The weapon splintered into metallic pieces as Wonder Woman blocked it with her bracelets. A quick backhand sending the first Amazon flying. Turning to her right side Diana narrowly evaded a slice from the second Amazon. Just an inch closer and her particles of hair wouldn't be the only thing that fell off.

Her attacker was brought to her knees as an elbow slammed into her gut. The plates of armor shielding the soldier meant nothing, as the distinct sound of bones cracking was heard. Wonder Woman was pulling no punches, and her attackers provided the perfect source to direct her anger towards. With her back still turned her third assailant managed to finally strike her. A heavy ax slamming into Wonder Woman's backside.

Unfortunately for her adversary it did little to derail Diana as she promptly turned around. With a well aimed kick to the neck Wonder Woman knocked her unconscious, watching her motionless body slump to the ground. The final two combatants elected to work together and double team the princess. Wielding a sword and a mace the two Amazons charged with blind fury. Diana scoffed as she easily side stepped her first challenger. A quick kick to the leg sent her stumbling as Wonder Woman stripped her of her weapon.

The second assailant took this moment to strike and bashed Diana's skull with the mace. The force of the blow was tremendous, but only served to annoy Goku's wife as she glared into her opponents eyes. With a mighty tug she pulled her attacker until they were eye to eye. A hard headbutt eventually sending her to land of dreams. The Amazon who had previously been wielding the mace

attempted to attack was once more, but was forced to join her comrade as the mace concussed her.

Dusting her hands off Diana began walking to the entrance of the palace but abruptly stopped as she felt someone lingering over her shoulder. Slowly turning around Wonder Woman was met with her assailants once more. _But I just defeated them! _Their eyes were blood shot red as they began to encircle the princess. It was now obvious that there was something else at work here.

"That's enough." The voice was barely a whisper but was enough to whip the Amazons into command. All five of them instantly backed away as a cloaked figure approached Diana.

"Derinoe?" Wonder Woman was more surprised than anything. She of course knew who it was, but was taken back at the fact she in charge here.

"And here I was thinking you were still banished." The elder Amazon scoffed in a mocking tone. She had been one of the first to call for Diana's banishment following her failure to retrieve the Dragonballs.

"Sister what is going on here? What has happened to our people?" Diana questioned as she ignored Derinoe's previous words.

"Our people?" The woman in question spat back incredulously. "You're not one of us. In fact _you're_ responsible for all of this."

"I haven't set foot on Themyscira in years since my banishment."

"And you couldn't even adhere to the banishment that Zeus himself gave you. We are supposed to be servants of the gods but you, just like you're mother, rebelled against them."

"Mother!" Diana shouted as she remembered her queen. There was no telling of the kinds of horrors that might have been committed to her.

"Fret not _princess_." Derinoe sarcastically remarked. "She's still alive...for the time being that is."

"If you've done anything to my mother I swear I will..."

"You'll what? Kill Derinoe? Show us the monster you truly are. A snake can't hide it's true form." A new voice emerged, dragging a chained Amazon with her as she approached Derinoe.

Diana's eyes narrowed as she attempted to decipher who this woman was. She wore the cloth of the royal guards but the princess had never seen her before.

"I can see you're confused. I'll let your mother do the talking instead." With a hard jerk queen Hippolyta was tossed forward, her bruised and battered figure nearly bringing tears to her daughter's eyes.

"Mother what happened to you?" Wonder Woman questioned as she dropped to the floor to embrace her matriarch. It had been so long she had felt the tender touch of the woman who birthed her.

"My sins finally caught up with me." The queen curtly replied as she broke the hug, the shame evident on her face.

"What sins are you speaking of? You're the most virtuous woman on Themyscira."

"Diana I don't know where to begin but there are so many things I've kept hidden from you." Hippolyta sighed as she shook her head.

"Not just you Diana but the entire Amazon nation." Derinoe supplanted. "She even deceived the gods themselves."

"I don't believe you! You're lying and once I get my mother out of these chains you and whoever..."

"Diana!" Queen Hippolyta shouted as she brought her daughter's mini tirade to end. "She's telling the truth."

"W-w-what?!" Wonder Woman staggered back unsure if this was truly happening. Maybe this was all one horrible nightmare. A magical illusion cast by one of her enemies.

"I've lied to you, your sisters, and the gods as well."

"But you're the queen! You're supposed to be our standard for morality and justice. For truth and honesty. How could you do this mother?

"I know Diana...I know." Hippolyta felt even worse than she looked. The thorough thrashing she had received was nothing compared to the shame of her daughter.

"I-I can't believe this." Wonder Woman frowned as she rubbed her suddenly sore temples. "What did you lie about?"

"Your birth. I lied about your birth. You weren't formed from clay like I made you believe. Zeus is your father."

Diana's eyes expanded to the size of saucers as a bolt of thunder crackled in the distance. _Everything I know is false. _

* * *

**Age 761 (2011), Mount Paozu, Chikyu **

"Diana can you please move your legs." Goku mumbled into his pillow as he rolled over. "Diana?" worry seeped into the Saiyan's voice as he suddenly realized his wife wasn't there.

Jolting up Goku's eyes quickly scanned the room for any trace of his lover. She was no where to be found. Rising out of bed he dashed to the bathroom which he found open and unlocked She wasn't there either. Closing his eyes he scoured the nearby area for any noticeable trace of her Ki. Once again there was nothing. Her Ki was humongous and almost impossible to miss. She was the most powerful person on Earth **[3]**.

_Where could she have possibly gone to at this hour? I'm sure she had good reason though. _

Shrugging it off Goku put it aside. Diana was the most honest person she knew, the lasso of truth most certainly made sure of that. He was sure that whatever had made her gallop away in the middle of the night was more than urgent. He just hoped she would return safely. _She could have at least woke me up to go with her. _

Pouting the Saiyan settled back into bed and attempted to go back to sleep. His head had barely made contact with the pillow before his stomach growled. _Really? At this hour? _Goku's hunger knew no time limits and before the Saiyan knew it he was in the kitchen raiding the fridge. Thankfully his wife made sure to keep the fridge stock full of food. Not only was she an amazing warrior- she was fantastic cook as well.

Tossing a plate of rice into the microwave, Goku slid into a nearby chair as he waited for his food to heat. _Might as well see what's on TV. _Clicking it open the Saiyan began channel surfing as he looked for something interesting to watch. _Maybe the news will tell me why Diana needed to leave. _Flipping to his local news station Goku was surprised as he saw a reporter from Gotham appear on his screen.

"_Fortunately the death the toll doesn't appear to have gone up since my last broadcast. There's no word yet on whether Batman survived that brutal battle with the still unknown assailant. But on the bright sight Superman has shown up and is battling our villain in the skies above the city." _

Goku's eyes shot wide open. _That had to be it! _Diana, Bruce, and Clark had built a strong rapport over the past few years. The media had even dubbed them as the "Trinity" which several religious groups found blasphemous. From the looks of the things on his TV screen it appeared things were getting desperate in Gotham. Batman never called for back up. If Superman had showed up that most likely meant his life was in danger.

_I'm sure that's where she went to. _

Jumping from his seat Goku sprinted to his bedroom, totally ignoring the food he had just microwaved. There were more pressing matters at hand. Zipping around the room Goku gathered his clothes as he changed into his iconic orange Gi. He was just about to hop out of his bedroom window when he realized he had completely forgotten about Gohan. Sweat-dropping, the Saiyan slid into the hallway as he began heading to his son's room

Hopefully Bulma wouldn't be too angry with him dropping Gohan off at such a late hour. As he turned to flip off the lights in his bedroom, Goku failed to notice the large envelope which had been left on his dresser.

* * *

**Age 761 (2011), Yellowstone National Park, USA**

"Meddlesome Earthlings." Piccolo scowled as he meditated under a waterfall.

This was supposed to be one of the quietest locations in America, but only seconds ago he had been forced to attack a park ranger. The park ranger had been doing his job, following up on leads that a man had been sneaking into the park late at night. His tips had been true to a certain extent. But as the park ranger quickly found out the late night trespasser was no human. You could imagine his shock when he discovered a less-than-benevolent demon floating around a waterfall.

Not wanting to deal with the assured backlash Piccolo simply knocked him out. A small Ki beam did the trick as the man now laid unconscious not too far from the stream of water. _I can see why my father hated them. _The Namekian closed his eyes attempting to focus but was interrupted by the static of the man's walkie-talkie.

"Can't I have one moment of peace?!" A large vein throbbed as Piccolo relented. Tonight just didn't seem to be his night.

_Looks like I'll have to try elsewhere. Even if I do manage to get some mediation done tonight that fool will still most likely report this incident tomorrow. More unnecessary trouble. I could just kill him but that pathetic human isn't even worth the time. I'm better off just heading elsewhere. _

Breaking out of his meditative stance, Piccolo began to ascend to the heavens when a familiar Ki caught his attention. _Son Goku on the move at this hour? _Ma Junior kept close notice on all the happenings concerning his most hated foe. He never ventured out of the house this late, especially not without his wife. Piccolo had been curious about her late night escapade as well. He never tried to actively follow her Ki signature, but when one was as large as hers it was almost impossible not to.

A large Ki presence had appeared in Gotham not too long ago. Ma Junior had figured that was where the princess had been headed until she had darted off in the opposite direction. As powerful as the Ki emanating from Gotham was, it was nothing Wonder Woman wouldn't have been able to defeat. That meant there was something even more dangerous out there. But Goku appeared to be headed towards Gotham instead.

_Whatever, it's not my problem. Seeing as I have nothing better to do I could head towards Gotham as well. That insufferable Kryptonian is there too. If things go well I can kill three birds with one stone._

With a devious smirk Piccolo blasted off into the night sky. This was the opportunity he had been waiting for.

* * *

**A big thank you to everyone who reviewed chapter 14! **

**[1]: **Clark and Lois will not be paired up in this story. I've never liked that pairing to be honest. Lois Lane loves Superman, not Clark Kent. If they were two different people she wouldn't give Clark the time of day. I'm not going to pair him with Lana either though and obviously not Wonder Woman lol. But I have someone in mind who I don't believe has appeared in anyone's story before.

**[2]: **As I will undoubtedly get reviews asking about Superman's strength I'll just address it now. As I've stated in previous chapters Clark is no where near his full power yet. He will eventually get there as the story progresses, but for right now he's just not that powerful yet.

**[3]:** Wonder Woman is currently the most powerful person on Earth. Goku and co still have lots of training to go through and Superman has yet to absorb all the necessary sun rays.

* * *

**Q/A:**

**Maris Brood-TheDarkZabrakJedi: **Saitama has been shown as needing more than one punch to defeat foes on a few occasions though. For example his fight with Boros. Going solely on feats he's not getting past Saiyan saga Goku though.

**Guest: **I'm not going to change that scene. I personally see nothing wrong with it. It was written to be read from the reader's perspective.

**Lostgamer64: **Scooby Doo could fit in the DC Universe. Anthropomorphic animals already somewhat exist within their reality.

**eolamin1997: **At this current point in the story the Trinity, Goku, and his friends, are the only known heroes. The rest of the Justice League will pop up very soon though.

**Rowknan: **The status of Majin Buu's stasis has not changed. Kind of a spoiler but...the Majin Buu saga is going to be crazy lol. A Goku x Superman fusion will be taking place.

**Johnny Spectre: **The Green Lanterns are going to appear very soon. I can't give you any details on ChiChi, but she'll be making an appearance very soon as well.

**Guest: **What you're talking about sounds interesting, I'll consider it.

**ThatGuy brother of OtherGuy: **Yep that was a blunder on my part lol

**Jackalope89: **I'm indifferent towards her character for the most part. She might not be paired up with Goku, but she'll still play a role in this story going forward though.

**Berrus-sama: **I was actually planning on doing something with the scouters, good thinking on that. I won't say who the GL will be. Chi-Chi will still be involved in this story, I'm not completely disposing of her.

**Talonsen: **This story isn't based on any particular form of DC media. The gods of Earth are aware of the other pantheons of gods. I was referring to Superman Prime One Million.

**Mdhunter111: **The characters won't have low power levels though. I previously stated that Superman would gradually gain his power throughout the story. Starting him off at full strength wouldn't allow for much of a plot. He'd defeat everyone by himself (at least up until Cell). Frieza will make an appearance and you'll just have to read and see as far as power levels go.

**Kabuto S. Inferno: **You always point out the mistakes and corrections I need to make, thanks. Gohan will be incredibly powerful in the future. I'm not sure "Mystic Gohan" will even be necessary in the future though. This version of Gohan enjoys fighting and training. He might unleash his hidden potential on his own. I think I meant to reply to you at the end of the previous chapter but just forgot to...lol.

**Aztec 13: **Rip Hunter probably won't appear in this story.

**KaylisDX:** Batman was using the stealth suit in the previous chapter.

**Atom king:** H'el probably won't appear in this story. Gohan will be a part of the Teen Titans when they eventually form later on.

**Skyline 10: **Goku won't need a superhero name or a costume. Martian Manhunter will appear. I'm not going to do Darkseid War and Raditz won't be joining the suicide squad. Thanks for the idea though.

**Guest: **No Cyborg Goku

**ImposterParrotGrass: **Thanks for the long review, always enjoy when I get one. As you can see this story is not following the typical Saiyan saga. Batman has several suits...that was just one of them lol. Gohan will join the Teen Titans in the future. You'll see how Gohan's powers are put under wraps in the next chapter actually. The Green Lantern/Freiza situation will be addressed in upcoming chapters.

**ShadowAssasin578:** I've never played Arkham nor do I know the storyline so that's probably not going to happen.

**Galeiam: **Glad someone picked that up lol

**ElDiosHades12: **That's actually been going on in the backdrop of this story. You'll see more of it in upcoming story arcs.

**JOEL: **Frieza has had run ins with the Green Lantern Corps in the past.

**bro123: **Wonder Woman is the strongest person on Earth at this current point.

**JAYDEN123: **I probably won't include Universe 6 in this story to be honest. My chapter output is based on how inspired I feel to write. A lack of inspiration means slow updates.

* * *

**Random Chapter Notes: **Since my reviewers are always asking me about what version of DC heroes I'm using, I've decided to detail some of my inspiration.

**Wonder Woman: **The Wonder Woman in this story has mainly been an Amalgamation of New 52 Earth-2 WW, New 52 WW, and Post-Crisis WW. I know a lot of Wonder Woman fans love the peace and rainbows iterations of her. The George Perez Diana is still lauded by most fans today. But personally I prefer a more aggressive Wonder Woman. I like a Wonder Woman who recognizes and does what's necessary. But there has to be balance as well though. Diana loves battle, but will seek to end things peacefully first though. She's not some violent brute.

I went with the New 52 Origin of her birth because I loved the idea. Wonder Woman is now literally a god. I was never really that big a fan of the clay birth. It never made sense to me how in she was blessed with powers by the gods in Post-Crisis, but then was able to defeat those same gods with their own power. Now her power is of her own doing.

The Amazons. I know I've depicted them harshly in this story. To my readers who aren't familiar with the comics, they're not this mean in all versions. I combined their New 52 and Post-Crisis origins for this story. But their temperament is greatly based on Earth-2. They are warriors who are haunted by their tragic past. They don't like men and are quite frankly not open towards man's world.


	16. Attack of the Saiyans III: Family Ties

_Thoughts_

"Speech"

**Disclaimer: DC and DBZ belong to their respective owners; I own nothing.**

**Chapter 16: Attack of the Saiyans III: Family Ties**

**Age 761 (2011), Gotham  
**

* * *

"Well, this certainly isn't how I imagined things going."

With a heavy groan, Clark lifted his head, breaking free from the crater that encased him. That last punch from Raditz had really packed a wallop. His nose was fractured, if not broken judging from the immense red liquid dripping from it. There were very few people more powerful than the Kryptonian on Earth, all of them happening to be his comrades. The fact that beings this powerful existed in the stars above, brought into question how truly vulnerable his adopted home-world was.

_If what he said is true, how did my ancestors even manage to do battle with the S-._

His thoughts were left unfinished as a sonic boom reverberated overhead. In less than a second, his otherworldly attacker was on him once more. A devilish grin stretched from ear to ear on Raditz face as the Saiyan hoisted the man of steel into the air. Clark frowned as his adversary's grip around his neck began to tighten.

"As it should be! A pitiful Kryptonian trembling at the might of a Saiyan!" Raditz choke-hold grew tighter as cackling laughter erupted from his lungs. His forefathers would have been so proud.

"As fun as this little game has been, I have more serious matters to attend to. But I'll make sure to keep your head as a trophy!" Clark's eyes expanded in horror as an orange ball of Ki materialized into existence. Kal-El thrashed with all his might to break free, but could not. Of all the foes to finally kill him it would not be an Earthling, but an extraterrestrial.

_Ma, Pa, I'll see you soon. _

"Put him down!" Both fighters attention were diverted as a new voice appeared from behind- Goku! Kal-El would not die on this day. "I'm not going to say it again."

"Kakarot?!"

"Kaka-who?" Master Roshi's pupil parroted as his cheeks scrunched in confusion.

"Kakarot, my brother! What's happened to you? Why are you defending this Kryptonian?" Twisting his neck around as he scrutinized his long lost relative, Raditz gave him a look of pure revulsion. This is what he had become?

_Brother?!_

The man of steel and Goku were both still hung on those words. Goku had no known relatives as far as either of them knew. Bruce, being ever inquisitive, had done deep digging into Goku's background and had found nothing. Goku was an abandoned child as far as the world knew. Clark had never even pondered the possibility of Goku being an alien. But if it was true, it would explain the incredible powers his friend possessed.

"Yes, brother." The Saiyan repeated once more. "You look just like our father. He would be disappointed in you, though, you completely failed your mission!"

"My mission? What mission?"

"You were sent here to destroy this planet."

"W-w-what? No! That's impossible! I would never!"

"Oh yes, you would." A wicked smile crept onto Raditz face. He would enjoy crushing the obvious feelings his brother held for this planet. "Weak Saiyan children like you, are sent out on missions of conquests. You were supposed to crush the insignificant ants on this dustball, but obviously, something went array."

Goku's jaw hung open as he attempted to digest this new found information. He couldn't believe it, he just couldn't! There was no way he would ever intentionally harm someone. Clark was having a tough time processing this as well. As Superman, he was jokingly known as a boy-scout, but that distinction could have truly been attributed to Diana's husband. Chikyu's hero didn't appear to have a single bad bone in his body.

"Who would have figured? The so great and wonderful Goku is connected to a race of planet conquering pirates." Piccolo chuckled as he made his presence known, descending from the sky.

"P-P-Piccolo?"

"How many more of these annoyances must I deal with tonight?" Raditz scoffed as he watched Ma Junior land beside his brother. The hue of this particular newcomer intrigued him, though he didn't appear to be of this planet.

The sweat truly began to pour from Kal-El's forehead as he eyed the demon king. Just when he thought things couldn't get any worse. Was it possible that Piccolo had conspired with Raditz to plan this attack? He wouldn't put it past his green-eyed foe considering his past history. But judging from the surprise behind his words, he appeared to be as clueless as the earth's heroes.

"What are you doing here?" Goku's body tensed, his eyes darting to his long-time adversary.

"Whatever I please, as usual." Piccolo rudely dismissed the newly discovered Saiyan. "His power level is massive and I could sense the intensity of the battle. He piqued my curiosity, it just so happens you came here as well."

"So you're not here to fight me?" Anxiety seeped through every word. The situation was already bad enough without tossing Piccolo into the mix.

"That remains to be seen." Ma Junior slyly replied. "Don't give me a reason to, though."

"Enough with your banter!" An incensed Raditz screamed as he finally tossed Superman aside. The last son of Krypton was sent flying through several walls of ruined buildings, before finally coming to an abrupt halt.

"Superman!" Goku's shout of concern proved unnecessary as the Kryptonian slowly got up. He was groggy, and wouldn't be much help in the event of a fight, but he was still alive.

"Don't worry about me, I'm ok" Giving him the universal good-to-go sign, a thumbs up, Clark took a moment to take a much-needed breather. That battle had really depleted his energy.

Sighing in relief at the condition of his friend, Goku switched gears back to his supposed brother. He had to pay for the destruction that had been caused. "What do you want from me?"

"Your help." A lone brow rose on Piccolo's face as he heard this. There were several, more peaceful ways, to go about seeking assistance. There was something Raditz wasn't sharing.

"All this chaos, this destruction, this death...just for some help?" Diana's husband couldn't believe all of this was madness was for something so trivial.

"I admit I could have been a bit more delicate, but who cares about stepping on some ants." With a careless shrug, Raditz continued. "I need your assistance with the hostile takeover of another planet."

"I refuse!" Goku answered immediately. There was no way he would be a part of anything so wicked.

"I'm not asking, I'm telling." Raditz face turned grim at the sudden outburst. One way or another his prodigal brother would be returning with him. "There are only four of us Saiyans left, including you and myself. We need to stick together Kakarot. This is our history, our lineage, our livelihood."

Trembling, legs shaking as he took an angry step forward Goku growled. "I don't care if we really are related or not, or about your stupid mission. My name is Goku and my home is the planet Earth now! You've caused enough destruction. I'll give you one last chance to leave."

"You're giving me an ultimatum?" Hearty laughter escaped the Saiyan's lips as he gripped his sides. "With a measly power level like yours, you won't even require one-half of my strength. It's a shame you've chosen this planet and the Kryptonian over your own flesh and blood. It's of no matter, once I destroy this futile planet your opinion will change."

Destroy this planet? Piccolo's senses were on high alert as heard the words. Up until this point, the Saiyan's true goals had been indecipherable. Sure, he had ransacked Gotham, but his motivations hadn't seemed so nihilistic. His battering of Superman proved he was more than capable of backing up that claim. His Ki signature was off the charts as well.

"As much as I could care less about Goku, I reside on this planet as well. I'm not going to allow that to happen."

Goku's ears jolted at the announcement. Piccolo was willing to help? Even as self-serving as his reasons were, the fact that the former demon king was willing to help spoke volumes.

"Are you suggesting a team up then?" A childish smile crept onto Goku's face. Never in a million years would he have expected his day to lead him here.

"A mutual momentary partnership that will benefit us." Piccolo corrected. It was only under the direst of circumstances that he would even consider such a thing.

"You don't have to use all those big words, Piccolo, it's a team up." A look of annoyance from Kami's counterpart quickly halted the chuckle that was brimming at Goku's lips.

"The two of you? Fight me?" Raditz was perplexed by such a ludicrous notion. No one on this backwater pit had the power to stand up to him. "Do your worst."

Glancing over at one another the duo shared a nod. The time for talk was over, they had a battle to fight.

* * *

**Age 761 (2011), Themyscira**

It wasn't every day that your perception of reality and everything regarding it got shattered. For Diana Prince, a set of few softly spoken words changed her life forever. The angry women currently encircling her mother had every right to be furious, their queen had deceived them all. Hippolyta was supposed to be the paragon of truth and justice. As queen of the Amazons, she was supposed to be a beacon of light to all humanity.

But she had lied. Not only had her mother lied to her subjects, but she had tricked the gods as well.

Throughout the years, Diana's origin had been a constant source of torment. As a child, the other Amazons consistently teased her about being formed from clay. There were nights she had cried herself to sleep, wishing she had born like the rest of her sisters. All of those emotions, those demeaning jokes, those tears- could have been spared if her mother had told the truth. Not only was she born of a man, but her father was Zeus! For all intensive purposes, she was Demigod!

"I see you're still having a tough time digesting the news." Alkyone, the woman who had revealed herself as former royal guard said. The tears were brimming on Diana's face.

"Why this deceit mother? Why not tell the truth? Your lies have manifested into all of this!" Diana's hands motioned to the destruction behind the normally idyllic palace. How many Amazons lay slain because of her lies which had spiraled out of control?

"If I had known I never would have let things get this out of control." The queen's head hung in shame as she rattled the shackles on her arms. "But my actions should not require you to pay for them. Please let her go Derinoe!"

The haggard Amazon scowled in disgust as she watched her former love grovel in tears. Such weakness was beneath an Amazon of her stature.

"It's far too late now Hippolyta. You must pay for crimes! And besides, I have the backing of the populous with me."

Diana's eyes fluttered away from her mother as she lingered over Derinoe's words. How exactly had she managed to pull this coup? As guilty as her mother was the Amazons were still an immensely loyal people. That was evident in the piles of dead bodies she'd seen on her way here. Some Amazons had remained on her mother's side, but it appeared the overwhelming majority of the populous had sided with Derinoe.

"Something isn't right." Wonder Woman's eyes narrowed as she thought back to her battle only minutes earlier. The sisters she had fought had completely white iris's There was some kind of mental control going on here!

"I can see those tiny little wheels turning in your mind. You're slowly piecing things together aren't you?" Diana might have been the prophetic dragon to doom Themyscira, but Alkyone could not deny her gifts.

"What have you down to our sisters?"

"Nothing...nothing at all. Everything they've done has been of their choosing. I merely gave them a shove in the right direction." Derinoe's face remained impassive, but her choice of words spoke volumes.

"So this is sorcery? Which wizard or witch did you coerce for this? Or maybe it was a demon of some kind."

"Or maybe all of the above are wrong. Merciful Minerva you're so annoying. Do you always chatter this much?"

Wonder Woman's train of thought was broken as she watched a woman saunter out of the palace. That voice sounded eerily similar to someone she knew. The tone and pitch were so frighteningly similar but she just couldn't put her hand on a name. _No...it can't be! _Diana was flabbergasted as the woman finally came into full view. She was a mirror image of her mother!

"Surprised?" The woman in question flashed a toothy smile as she joined the conversation. She was draped in red and silver metallic armor from head to toe. A long, brown cape, fluttered from her shoulders extending far past the sword that was attached to her waist.

"Who are you?" The question reverberated in the air as the spitting image of her mother pondered her next set of words.

"In a way I guess you can call me your sister, well half sister that is."

"Sister? Is this another secret you've been keeping from me?" Wonder Woman questioned as she eyed the raven-haired woman in front of her. She was slightly younger than Diana, appearing to be in her late teens.

"No Diana I was just as shocked as you are now when I discovered her." The queen truthfully admitted. Hippolyta had not laid with a man in decades. The claim she was making was totally impossible.

"She's my creation," Derinoe answered, a proud smile adorning her face.

"You mean our creation." Alkyone quickly rebutted as she folded her arms.

"We both played a part in her creation, but the idea was originally mine." Derinoe didn't appreciate the tone Alkyone was taking. She was the same Amazon who had been too spineless to look on as the blood sacrifice needed to be done. "But regardless, she is your daughter of sorts Hippolyta."

"Lies! I have no children outside of Diana, and no kin of mine would ever be apart of something as detestable as this."

"Donna here," Derinoe said as she motioned over to the blue-eyed Amazon. "Was created from a strand of your DNA and magic. Unlike Diana, she hasn't been soiled by the blood of man. She will be the perfect queen you should have been."

"All of this war, this fighting, this murder...just so you could replace me with her?"

"Yes," Derinoe replied bluntly. "You were the perfect queen Hippolyta. If not for a few tremendous mistakes none of this would have happened. As such I took it upon myself to make sure that your bloodline would be preserved. Unlike you, she will have my guidance to lead her down the right path."

"Your guidance?" Alkyone interrupted. They had previously agreed that this would be a joint effort. Derinoe seemed intent on making everything about her.

"I will be her royal adviser, but that is a matter for another time Alkyone." The elder Amazon was clearly beginning to get annoyed with her constant meddling. "But as I was saying, she was created from your pure essence."

_So they used my mother's DNA without her consent? I'll remember to add that to their long list of crimes. Wonder Woman noted as she jotted it down in her mental notebook. _The more pressing issue was their intent with Hippolyta after everything was said and done. Their words had an air of finality, suggesting that Diana's mother wouldn't even be around for these changes.

"And what of my mother? What will happen to her?"

"She must die obviously," Alkyone said rather non-nonchalantly. Years ago those words would have never escaped her lips, much less formed in her mind. But these earth-shattering revelations had changed everything. She could no longer be loyal to someone whose words couldn't be trusted.

"You can't possibly be serious! You were once a member of the royal guard. You took a blood oath to protect my mother."

"I upheld my end of the pledge, your mother did not."

"Alkyone, Derinoe, I know we've had our differences and struggles but no more blood has to be shed today. You've made your point. I will peacefully step down and allow you to rule. I will even go as far as to banish myself. Themyscira has seen enough horrors for today." Hippolyta pleaded as she faced her once trusted friends. If they held any value for their former friendship they would listen.

"We've come too far to turn back now Hippolyta. Themyscira's sins must be washed by blood. We are acting in the best interest of this nation, something you stopped doing a long time ago." The two former flames locked gazes as they recounted the love they once shared. It was truly a shame how things had turned out. If only she had been forced to do this.

"Our friendship ended once you threw me in that dungeon and sided with that _thing_, over one of your most trusted friends. We're doing the gods a favor." Alkyone's love for her queen had long since withered.

"I can see that we're done here, may I have the honors Derinoe?" Donna inquired as she cocked her head. This conversation was becoming a bore.

"Of course, my dear Hippolyta is all yours."

Brandishing her sword Donna took a step forward as she began swinging it, showcasing just how capable she was with the weapon. But before she could get an inch closer, Wonder Woman appeared in front of her.

"If you lay a single finger on my mother, I promise it will be the last thing you do." Her face grew grim as she spoke. Her hands clenched in anger, ready to strike at any given moment.

"I've been looking forward to seeing which one of us was the most powerful, guess I won't have to ponder it any longer." With those parting words, the biological clone took a swing.

* * *

**Age 761 (2011), Gotham  
**

A violet beam of Ki vaulted towards its enemies, illuminating everything in its path. Jumping into the air, Goku and Piccolo narrowly avoided the blast. As they descended back towards the ground, the former enemies shared a look of concern. For the past several minutes the duo had been running for their lives, miraculously managing to evade deadly balls of Ki from Raditz. It was easier said than done.

Leaping into the air once more the pair ducked, luckily dodging another tremendous wave of energy. Balling his fist, Piccolo growled. He had suffered enough humiliation!

"I am no weakling! No one toys with me!"

Distancing himself, the spawn of the demon king appeared directly in front of the smirking Saiyan. Charging, full speed, he cocked his fists and brought them forward in a punch. But a hefty forearm interrupted its motion. Gnashing his teeth, Piccolo attempted the strike once more only to be met with the same result. Still unrelenting, Ma Junior unleashed a flurry of punches that were all unsurprisingly blocked as well.

Finally managing to land a petty blow to the Saiyan's voluminous chest, he glanced upwards. The unimpressed invader merely grinned at the languid blow, before retaliating with his own. A shockwave ensued as Raditz fist collided with both of Piccolo's forearms. Staggering back, the Namekian's eyes widened in terror as he saw another strike approaching him. He was rescued by Goku, who materialized in front him, blocking the attack with a kick.

Quickly engaging his brother, Goku pounced with a combination of kicks, punches, knees, and elbows. His elder brother meanwhile, stood by idly and allowed all the blows to connect. The attacks peppered his skin with minimal effect but allowed him the time to gather Ki in his right hand. Finally reaching its climax, Raditz unleashed the cerulean ball of light. It brightened the surrounding area, before detonating on the duo of fighters.

The blast rocked not only the duo but the surrounding building structures. Fortunately, Clark's body had been flung outside of blasts radius. Pleased with his handiwork, Raditz began to inspect the now smoldering sector for any signs of life. Satisfied by his findings the Saiyan turned and proceeded to rocket into the skies until he was halted by a Kamehameha and **Bakukaze**. Frowning at the coalescent beams of light, he twisted his hands and promptly slapped it away, knocking it into the heavens above.

"We…aren't...done…yet!" The enervated warriors panted in unison.

Quizzically turning his head, Raditz formed a buoyant smile. He then charged, rather expeditiously, at the two debilitated warriors. The duo's eyes widened tremendously, as the Saiyan phased in front of them. Still in full sprint he strangled their heads and dashed off, dragging the combatants faces through what was left of a city street. Laughing madly as he did so, the Saiyan finally came to a stop as the pavement on the street ended. With a careless toss, he flung the two combatants into the air.

The arch enemies were allowed brief reprise as they steadied themselves in the air.

"There's got to be some way to stop him!" Goku paused as he turned towards his prasinous companion.

"Talking about it isn't going to help," Piccolo commented as he discarded his shirt, shoes, and weights. "You seem serious but with the power he's displaying, you're going to have to fight harder than you ever have before."

"I hope your planning on taking your own advice." Master Roshi's student chided as he began to remove his own excess garments.

"I've been training harder than your little brain can ponder."

"I still can't believe we're fighting on the same side!"

Piccolo scowled as he reminded of this forced team-up. Under normal circumstances, this would have never occurred. "Don't get too comfortable though Goku, after this is over- you're next!"

Barely finishing his sentence the green scourge charged, his nails extending as he did so. Goku immediately followed his lead, dashing towards his brother down below. Reaching his destination Piccolo lashed out first, with a chop, aimed at his torso. The fluttering breeze was the only thing he felt as the Saiyan vanished from sight. _Damn it! _

Reforming behind his attacker, Raditz punched downwards, on the seemingly unsuspecting Namekian. But just like before, his fist passed through an after image. Feeling his warrior's instinct kick in, Raditz blurred away just as Goku's kick passed by. The Saiyan materialized overhead, catching Goku off-guard as he was still in kicking motion. Sensing the gigantic Ki presence hovering over him, Diana's husband back-flipped away in the nick of time.

Raditz fist slammed into the ground with frustration. He retracted it just in time to block a kick, courtesy of Piccolo. Unfortunately, this left his right side wide open for attack from Goku, whose fist slammed into his ribs. Staggering in pain, he howled into the wind. This opening allowed Goku and Piccolo to bombard the Saiyan with a flurry of punches. They managed to pummel Raditz for several seconds, until he finally retook control of his body, swatting them aside with Ki blasts.

The duo tumbled back but regained their senses in time to summon Ki into their hands. They nodded at one another before releasing the sizzling beams of energy. The magenta orbs of light irradiated Raditz shocked expression, before promptly sending him flying in the opposite direction. The Saiyan rolled endlessly, until a building stopped his momentum, crumbling to pieces as he smashed into it. As the dust cleared the duo waited for Raditz inevitable rise, but it never came.

"Where could he have gone?"

Goku soon received his answer as his enraged relative appeared in the sky. He had sustained minor damage, but it was the injury to his ego that hurt the most.

"You must die!"

Both fighters dashed off as they rose to the heavens to engage Raditz. A sonic boom announced their arrival as the duo collided with Raditz forearms. Gritting their individual teeth, the two warriors backed away and disappeared from sight. The only indication that they were still present on the battlefield were the hundreds of shockwaves, which rocked the atmosphere as the trio collided. Raditz hefty fist ended the supersonic engagement as he punched Piccolo out of view.

Goku paused momentarily to track his comrade and was struck by a knee to the face. Blood instantly began flowing as the warrior felt something snap. But he was given no time to dwell on the injury as his brother relentlessly attacked him, showering him with multiple combinations he could not hope to keep up with. It was only by sheer luck that Piccolo managed to be his saving grace, cutting in midway, with an array of Ki beams. With his concentration momentarily broken, both fighters decided to strike from opposite angles.

There was no way Raditz would be able to intercept multiple blows from all angles. Their plan worked beautifully as the Saiyan was too stunned to keep up. For the first time in the entire fight, their advisory was the one on the ropes. Unfortunately, their assault would not last long as the Saiyan dispelled Ki from his body, shoving both combatants back. They were only sent flailing for a couple of yards, but this provided Raditz all the time he needed.

"Double Sunday!"

Twin beams of aquamarine Ki ejected from his palms, aimed directly at his dazed opponents. Piccolo and Goku attempted to raise their defenses, but by then it was far too late. The energy beams struck, brightening the night sky with a hazy, yellow, glow as a massive explosion followed. As the clouds of smoke dispersed it gave view to rapidly descending fighters. With their current trajectory, they would hit the Earth at a speed that was sure to flatten what remained of Gotham's entertainment district.

Igniting his Ki Goku willed his aura to life, managing to halt his free fall. Piccolo quickly followed suit and changed the course of his flight, flipping around to face his higher elevated opponent.

"We need a plan." The demon spawn growled as he turned to Goku. His body could only survive so much punishment.

"What do you suggest? We're going all out and that's still not making a difference." Chikyu's hero frowned as he glanced over the litany of scars on his body. It wasn't like they weren't trying.

"Superman managed to wear him down, at least slightly, before we arrived. At the very least we can be grateful for that."

"You mean he was even more powerful than this originally?" Just what kind of monster were they dealing with here?

"You didn't feel his enormous Ki presence the second he landed on Earth? It's still large, but nowhere near what it was originally. Just what were you doing all this time before our battle?"

"Honestly," Goku nervously chuckled as he rubbed his head. "I was asleep."

A sweat drop slid down Piccolo's face as he sighed. Goku was still an idiot. "It's of no consequences now. I think I have a technique that may be able to defeat him though."

"Really? Why didn't you say something earlier then?" Goku questioned as he folded his arms. They could have reduced a lot of damage if he had spoken up earlier.

"I didn't mention it earlier because it was my ace in the hole," Piccolo irritatedly replied. He had never expected things to get so out of hand. "I believed our combined effort would be enough, but it hasn't been."

Goku hung his head in shame as he eyed his hands. Assuming they survived this he would have to get stronger.

"Where is your wife by the way? As powerful as your brother is-" Goku shot the Namekian a look of disgust as the mention of their relation. "He's nothing Wonder Woman couldn't handle."

"She's busy taking care of some family matters." Judging from Goku's abnormally sad tone, it was a subject Piccolo did not want to delve into. The most powerful being on the planet would've most certainly been useful right now, though. "I'm all we've got right now, so what's the plan?"

"I need you to distract him."

"For how long, though?"

"For however long I need. I need to channel my Ki for this attack."

"Are you serious? We could barely handle him together, how can I hold him on my own?" The sheer idea of it was complete madness. Raditz could possibly kill him in seconds.

"You'll have to figure it out on your own. We don't have any more time because your brother's on his way now!"

Piccolo's finger extended towards the Saiyan who has long grown tired of waiting. His hand was radiating with Ki as he sped towards the duo. Goku cursed as he dashed off to intercept his brother midway. It would take everything he had to fend Raditz off.

"Solar Flare!"

A blistering red light flooded the Saiyan's field of vision as Goku began his assault. He would need every bag of tricks in his repertoire if he hoped to survive this skirmish.

_I don't know how long I'll be able to keep this up. I hope Piccolo's plan works because otherwise we're doomed._

* * *

**Age 761 (2011), Themyscira**

The clanging of metal filled the air as Donna's sword collided with Wonder Woman's wrist gauntlet's. The two half-sisters appeared to be evenly matched. Whatever magic that had been used to create this clone of Hippolyta was incredibly potent. For the last few minutes, the two warriors had been locked in a power struggle with one another. It was a consistent routine by this point.

Donna would slice, bringing with her the force of torrents. But Diana would remain put, rooted like a firm tree amongst a powerful storm, and block it. Derinoe and Alkyone's eyes had long since stopped being able to perceive their moments, they were mere blurs at this point. The only detectable sign of their presence was the endless clatter of their tools. As they circled the palace for the tenth time, the duo broke apart taking a moment to breathe.

"I'm impressed. You're everything Derinoe said you would be." Donna admonished as she shifted her battle stance.

Diana cared little for her praise, though. Her mother's life was at stake. "You don't have to do this. I don't know what Derinoe has taught you, but you can always choose to do otherwise. The choice is in your hands."

"As if I would listen to you," Donna scowled as her face twisted in disgust. "You and your mother are responsible for this!"

"My mother is guilty of numerous things, but this is not justice. She is owed a trial before her sisters and the people of Themyscira." Per the laws of the Amazons, a judgment could not be passed down without a fair trial. Her mother had received nothing of the sort.

"I don't know if you've been paying attention Diana, but this is the will of the people. They demanded this."

Leaping into action once more the silver clad warrior jabbed at her sibling. Lowering her hands in a downward motion Wonder Woman managed to block the strike. She was still baffled by the metal of her opponent's sword. Her previous attacker's weapons had shattered to pieces against her bracelets. At the very least Donna's weapon had to be magically enchanted. Timing her duck, she managed to narrowly evade a slice that drew strands of hair from her head.

_She's good._

Distancing herself the daughter of Zeus took a moment to survey her surroundings. Their supersonic battle had led them to the courtyard. It was a beautiful, open space, with magnificent sculptures lined up around it. It was exactly the way she remembered it from her childhood. Unfortunately, those sculptures were about to be put on the chopping board as Donna charged, swinging wildly.

Sliding to her right Diana avoided a blow that shattered a statue of Phillipus.

"Oops."

With a careless shrug, the clone continued her reckless assault. Hopping nimbly on her feet Diana bounced from area to area. Her half-sister kept pace, tracking her movements along the way. Wonder Woman's hands were a blur as Donna's sword bounced off her skin. Her bracers took the brunt of the blows but the air still resonated from the power. She realized Donna was an innocent pawn in Derinoe's schemes, but she could not hold back any longer. She would have to go on the offensive.

As her mother's clone prepared to strike once more, Diana raised her hand, catching the blow mid-way. Her shock was apparent as her eyes expanded. Gripping the sword firmly Wonder Woman tugged it as she used it to pull her sister closer. With their eyes, mere inches away from one another Diana cocked back and unleashed a punch that brought with it a clap of thunder.

Donna was violently jerked back, her body eventually skidding to a hard stop as she slammed into a stone pillar. It collapsed instantly, shattering the foundation of the building. Piles of stone collapsed on her, momentarily halting their battle. But Diana knew better, that was a mosquito bite to someone of her stature. And seemingly on cue the blue-eyed Amazon burst free, the rage evident on her face.

Without a word she surged forward, attacking with the might of true Amazon. With the stolen sword still in hand, Diana used it to block the flurry of incoming punches. Right, left, hook, jab, all flowed in a solid rhythmic routine. Donna's power could not be questioned, but her battle experience was infantile in comparison to Wonder Woman's. Donna's frustration began to mount as every blow was blocked.

Before Derinoe's minion could even finish preparing her next strike, Diana already had her guard up. It was almost as if Diana was reading her mind. None of it made sense. Slamming her fist into the concrete as Wonder Woman dodged yet another strike, Donna decided to switch tactics. The spiderweb of cracked titles, courtesy of her fist, sparked an idea.

Storming forward the younger sibling charged with reckless abandon. Diana's eyes widened as her new found sister sped towards her. She raised the sword in her right hand to block was she was sure was an oncoming strike, but there was none. Donna simply plowed forward, not bothering to even attack. Muscle memory took over as Diana's sword jabbed forward. The discernible sound of flesh ripping was heard as the blade made contact.

In one fell swoop left Donna's arm was sliced apart. Their gazes never broke, even as the limb tumbled to the ground. But it was at this moment that Wonder Woman noticed something particularly odd, there was no pain in Donna's facial expression. As her eyes darted down below she failed to notice a single droplet of blood. Just what was going on here?

Diana's momentary surprise caused her to drop her defenses, granting Donna the perfect opportunity to strike. Lunging forward her fist slammed into Diana's face, sending the Demigod lurching backward. A new dent was formed on the ground as Wonder Woman's head impacted the ground. In a flash Donna was on her, showering bone-rattling punches like rain. Zeus's daughter was sunk further into the ground with every heavy-handed blow. Donna took immense pleasure in torturing her elder sibling.

Diana finally managed to fend her off by slashing at her sister's throat. The cut was evaded but drew the distance Wonder Woman needed to regain herself. Flipping to her feet she horrified as she saw Donna reattach the broken appendage to her body.

"What in the name of Athena?" The perplexed princess questioned to herself as she watched it snap into place. Donna had regenerative abilities?

Swinging her arm as she got readjusted to it, the Amazon in question smirked at Diana's startled expression. "I can tell you're confused by the stupid look on your face."

"How did you do that?" Wonder Woman demanded, completely ignoring her insult.

"It's just one of the abilities I was blessed with at my birth. You won't be able to kill me!"

Wonder Woman was once again caught off guard as the would-be-clone materialized in front of her. I-I didn't even see her move! The princess was sent soaring as Donna's kick connected with her nasal bridge. A geyser of blood spewed forth, her bones aching as she was propelled backward. But one minuscule blow would not be her end. Entrenching herself firmly in the dirt, Diana circumvented her skid as she wiped her face.

"You'll have to do better than that."

"I intend to."

With those parting words the two Amazons charged at one another, yet again, the ground succumbing to their wills as they zoomed ahead. Matching each other stride for stride, the duo met, fists crashing into one another, inadvertently forming a crater. With a hasty hop step, Diana darted back, her eyes never leaving her opponent who in turn followed her. Donna's legs rotated at blisteringly rapid speeds as she launched several well-aimed kicks towards Zeus' daughter.

Wonder Woman's body twisted and contorted in every possible direction, her limbs swaying like plastic as she attempted to evade the seemingly interminable amount of blows. Diana's tactic worked briefly before her stomach was hit with a knee-buckling palm to the gut. Her body tottered forward, spit exploding from her mouth as Donna's palm further entrenched itself in her solar plexus. She had no time to dwell on the pain, as a deft strike sent her soaring.

As her hang time finally came to a halt, the Demigod was pounced on by Donna once more. Diana's rage boiled in her fists, as her half-sister's knee came slamming into her backside, propelling her descent downward. As her body neared collision with the ground, Diana outstretched her hands, sticking her landing as she back-flipped away. Donna swooped down hoping to pick up where she had left off and was welcomed by a fist to the face.

A resounding shockwave rocked the landscape, palace windows shattering from the sheer force. Unrelenting, Diana immediately hurled another fist at the dazed fighter's face. Donna's neck violently jerked, her skull inhumanly lurching backward, nearly colliding with her shoulder. Being persistent as ever, Wonder Woman immediately followed the blow with a knee to the stomach. Donna's eyes magnified as she felt the air vanish from her lungs before a final ax kick sent her rocketing away.

iana watched with a grin as her opponent slammed into a nearby wall, inertia carrying her through several sections of the palace. She squinted as she surveyed Donna crash into walls of the queen's bedchamber. Taking one final moment to marvel at her handiwork, the Demigod dashed off towards her opponent. She would not spare her mother's would-be-killer a moment to breathe.

Donna had landed face first, her skull dragging across the tiling of every floor before coming to a brutal halt. Her normal countenance had changed; she was pissed. The fractured blocks of granite that were currently swirling in her mouth definitely did not help her disposition either. She dusted herself off as her eyes settled on the person who had caused it; Wonder Woman. Her wretched sister was currently charging at her with a speed that would not be slowed down.

She would have to match it.

Bursting forward with speed that would have made Hermes proud, Donna managed to catch her sibling midway. Her speed still proved to be too slow as Diana's fist submerged into her face. Donna's head bobbed back like a punching bag that had just been struck. With each passing second, Wonder Woman's knuckle sank deeper and deeper into her flesh. Donna screamed in agony an uppercut rocked her chin, releasing the flow of blood from her mouth.

"It didn't have to be this way!" Diana shouted as she continued her vicious combination. She heard multiple bones snap as her knee connected with her sister's abdomen. "You forced me to do this!"

As she wound back her hand, preparing to deliver what was sure to be the victorious blow, she suddenly stopped as the wind surrounding her picked up.

"**And your mother has forced me to this do**!"

An ominous voice from above permeated the island, forcing everyone on it give pause. The weather had already been dreadful following Diana's arrival, but the clouds now seemed to be gathering at an incredible pace. Gale force winds suddenly swept through the island as houses, stores, and schools were ripped apart. Donna and Diana used every ounce of their power to remain steadfast in the face of this abrupt storm. Derinoe and Alkyone attempted to run back to the palace, seeking salvation in its structural integrity.

Thunder and lightning boomed overhead, indiscriminately scorching Themysciran landmarks. The waves surrounding Paradise island rose to unbelievable heights as the water threatened to flood. Never in the history of the Amazons had a storm so powerful crossed their homeland. As the waves from the ocean grew worryingly higher, Diana realized this wasn't of natural causes.

"By the gods, what is this?"

"**It is your judgment**!" Diana and Donna were brought to their knees from the sheer magnitude of the voice. As they clamped their ears, slowly opening their eyes they realized exactly who it is.

"Hera!" They screamed in unison, as the now seven hundred foot goddess hovered over their island.

"Hippolyta must pay!"

* * *

**Age 761 (2011), Gotham  
**

"You know you can't keep this up for much longer Kakarot! Just allow me to give you a death befitting of a Saiyan."

Parrying another combo of blows, Goku panted as he took a moment to catch his breath. As much as he hated to admit it, his brother's words were true. His Ki was depleting by the second. He was truly no match for his sibling, one on one, but for the sake of the Earth, he was trying. Piccolo's plan seemed to be taking forever though.

The reincarnation of the demon king had spent the past three minutes charging a ridiculous amount of Ki. The veracity of Piccolo's words seemed to be backed up by the massive output of Ki that was flooding the area. Fortunately, Goku had kept Raditz so preoccupied that he hadn't managed to check his scouter. If he had, he would've been freaking at the buildup of energy nearby.

"Just give up already Kakarot!"

A powerful backhand knocked Chikyu's hero from his thoughts. He swore he felt his jaw dislocate as his brother followed up with an elbow. An all too familiar sight, at least during this fight, streamed from his lips as his brother continued his wicked assault.

"You could have helped us recreate the Saiyan empire, but you chose this instead!" Another powerful backhand caused Goku's ears to ring. "No because of your idiocy I'll have to kill my own brother. Vegeta will be so displeased."

The words were uttered so casually as Raditz strikes continued to grow harder. More and more of his brother's life liquid began to coat his fingers. Defenseless to stop his assailant, Goku could only groan in agony as he took the beating of a lifetime.

"You pitiful, putrid, weakling!" Raditz punctuated his words with a Ki blast, electrifying his brother with burgundy energy.

The World's martial arts champion was left helpless as his body began to descend from the sky. Piccolo watched in terror as Raditz turned his sights towards him. With no one left to distract him, the Saiyan immediately queued in on the ever rising power level.

He's become even more powerful than me, and he's still rising!" The Saiyan muttered in disbelief, as he glimpsed at the ever-changing numbers on his scouter. "I'll put and end to this."

Sparking his aura the otherworldly invader shot towards Ma Junior. Goku had managed to put a great distance between them, taking their battle out towards the ocean. But with Goku now out of the picture, he was headed back towards the docks, intent on maiming the Namekian. Piccolo had to keep charging his Ki, regardless of the circumstance. He would be left defenseless in the meanwhile, but it was the Earth's best bet.

One way or another, things will end here. If I can't pull this off everything will be ruined.

"Die you Earthling scum!"

Raditz was only yards away as his hands outstretched, brimming with Ki. His fangs bared as he channeled more energy into his palm, he wanted to make a scene. The meddlesome occupants of this planet had put up a worrisome fight, but it was time to finally end it. Curse his brother for all of this! But before he could expel the Ki from his body, a firm pair of hands gripped his shoulder.

"Kakarot?!" Raditz was as shocked as Piccolo. How had Goku managed to survive?

"I'm using every last ounce of Ki my body has to even remain standing." The younger Saiyan panted as he was nearly out of breath. It was a sheer act of will that had allowed him to arrive in the nick of time.

"Let go of me you fool!" Raditz thrashed as his sibling's grip grew even tighter. Goku had him completely trapped in an arm lock.

"You're not going anywhere as long as I have Ki in my body." Chikyu's hero remained steadfast. He would hold his brother until his dying breath.

"Goku that's commendable but do you realize what you're doing? You're literally drawing from your life force. You're using what little Ki you have left to even keep you moving!" Piccolo shouted as he felt Goku's Ki begin to deteriorate at a more rapid rate.

"Don't worry about me." Goku assured. He was surprised the demon spawn even cared.

"It's not too late to turn back now!" Piccolo pleaded as he felt the tangible shift in Goku's Ki.

"My mind is made up already." With a sad smile, Goku prepared himself for the inevitable. Drawing on his life force was an ability he had accidentally stumbled upon. Every living thing needed Ki to survive. Even when a person was completely exhausted and out of energy, their Ki still remained. But siphoning one's life force meant using the Ki that kept the body going. It meant literally killing yourself.

This was a technique that Goku never intended to use in battle, even as a last resort. But today's events had forced him into a corner. It was either this or allow his planet to perish once Raditz killed Piccolo. He sincerely hoped his wife and son would forgive him, but this was something that needed to be done for all their sakes. At the very least this would give Piccolo the perfect opportunity to strike. Raditz was no longer a moving target. **[1]**

"Kakarot let go! Can't you see his power is increasing? He intends to kill me! If you remain here with me, you'll perish as well." Raditz pleaded to the innate survival instance of every living being. No one wanted to die. Unless his brother was truly insane he would have to release him.

"Then you're a fool!" The elder brother couldn't believe how far his sibling was willing to go.

"It doesn't matter anyways. Goku will be back from the dead shortly after this fight."

"That's impossible, nothing can raise the dead!"

"Oh, that's what you think," The Namekian said with an arrogant smirk. "The Dragonballs can be used to make any wish, including raising the dead. The only one whose death will be permanent is yours!"

The Saiyan thrashed even harder at his confines as he heard this. These Dragonballs could have been what he needed to resurrect their dead race. To think Kakarot had such powerful tools at his disposal, and he did nothing with them. But if they thought this battle was over, they were foolishly mistaken.

"Even if you kill me my comrades will come and avenge me. My scouter," Raditz chuckled as the machine on his face beeped. "Has been transmitting this entire fight to them. Now that they know about these Dragonballs, they will come and destroy everything until they get them. On top of that, they are even more powerful than me."

All the color drained from Piccolo and Goku's face as they heard this. They were, even more, dangerous challenges to face.

"Me and my stupid mouth, I should have kept it closed!" Piccolo growled as he berated himself. The Earth was now at greater risk because he had foolishly decided to share that last nugget of information.

"Don't worry Piccolo, we'll beat them." Goku reassured with a smile. He didn't know how, but he would find a way to get stronger and protect the Earth. This would never happen again.

"You say that like you're not about to die," The Namekian scoffed as he finally gathered the necessary energy.

"I'm not worried about it, just do what has to be done."

"You're the biggest disgrace to our race. You will never live this down! Vegeta and Nappa will kill..."

Raditz words were left trailing as a spiraling beam of energy burst into existence. He had so arrogantly believed that victory was assured. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined dying on a simple mission to this backwater planet.

"Curse you to hell Kakarot!"

* * *

**Age 761 (2011), ****Vega Star System**

The Vega star system was approximately 26 light years away from Earth. Here lawlessness ruled, might was the indiscriminate power, and the weak were subsequently abused. The Guardians of the Universe had long since abandoned this quadrant of space. If you were wanted, on the run, or just a criminal in general- this was a safe haven for you. No one would find you here, and even if they did there were no galactic police officers to even arrest you.

On Visaya, the second moon of Okaara, stood one of the rarest sights in all the Universe- a Saiyan. He was one of the last remaining members of a dead species. Officially it was believed that none had survived the cataclysmic event that had obliterated the Saiyan homeworld, but those were all false rumors. A small contingent of Saiyans had escaped death's grasp. This Saiyan, in particular, had believed himself to be one of the remaining four, but that notion had been dispelled today.

In actually five Saiyans had survived that day. But due to events that had transpired only minutes ago that number had dwindled back to four. He didn't particularly care though as he had forsaken Saiyan society decades ago. King Vegeta had disgraced their ancestors by bending to the will of a purple lizard. That spineless coward had allowed the Saiyans to become mere footstools for Frieza's galactic empire.

Once he had realized how craven his monarch truly was, he had discarded all ties with his home-world. No Saiyan worth their tail would allow themselves to be used in such an embarrassing manner. Sadness was not an emotion he felt when he'd discovered the news of Vegetasei's destruction. Saiyan society was predicated on strength. The Saiyans who had perished had been deserving of death. In a way they had done their race a favor, cleansing their pitiful bloodlines from the gene pool.

He spent the following decades traversing the stars, exploring space and seeking out true power. King Vegeta had been a paranoid fool. His lust for control had never allowed the Saiyan race to grow. If any soldier under his command seemed like a threat to grow more powerful than him, he simply had them executed. Everyone would remain under the king's weak, foolish, thumb.

But once he had ventured out into the wider Universe his power grew immensely. King Vegeta would be nothing more than a smudge under his boots if he were alive today. His power was far beyond his now. Taking the profession of a bounty hunter had allowed him to expand his prowess even further. In this part of the galaxy, he was an ace bounty hunter, just notches below that maniac Lobo.

Roaming the stars had seemed like his destiny's calling, at least until he had intercepted that transition. The spiky haired Saiyan encountered the Planet Trade Organization on at least a few occasions. Stealing their technology, and conforming it to his standards had given him a leg up in this cutthroat business. He always made sure to listen to the Saiyan's broadcasts. They had their own secret frequency, which was illegal under Frieza's mandates, but they had yet to be caught.

Unbeknownst to them, someone was always listening, though. He often found their conversations boring. They were usually drab arguments and petty fights, but today had been remarkable. Raditz death was inconsequential, he was an ant after all. But the mention of the Dragonballs piqued his interest.

There were innumerable myths and stories regarding those mysterious orbs. If even a fraction of them were true, it would be worth investigating. He always assumed them to be a myth but according to those Earthlings they were very much real. He could use them to his benefit and gain the power he had greatly longed for. Maybe Raditz wasn't so useless after all.

"I hope you'll be prepared by then Kakarot, your dear uncle Turles will be paying you a visit." **[2]**

* * *

**A big thank you to everyone who reviewed chapter 15! **

**Authors Note: **Thank you guys so much for getting this story to over 400 reviews! I didn't think this story would become so popular. Hopefully, this trend continues and grows.

A reader of this story mentioned something about pacing and time-skips regarding the previous chapter. I know the pacing of this story has been fairly fast. I glossed over a lot of things in Dragonball and had at least two, major time skips. From my perspective, it has all been necessary. The main focus of this story is DBZ. In hindsight, I probably could have done a better job handling it, though.

Like I've said in previous chapters I plan for this story to be at least 100 chapters. Realistically I can't squeeze everything into it. The story is already going to be long enough. However, like I also previously mentioned, I plan to detail some of the events I skipped in another story related to this one. I will eventually fill in the blanks. There's too much for me to contain in one story, though.

The pacing of this story will slow down considerably from here on out though. No gigantic time-skips will be happening going forward.

**[1]:** My Raditz fight was much different from canon as you can see. There was no Gohan involved, or Goku falling for his brother's lies. He's not as naive. Goku literally drew from his life force to provide the strength needed to hold Raditz. He dangerously used the Ki that normally helps keep you alive. One way or another he was going to die here.

**[2]:** I know Turles and Goku being related is not canon. But in this Universe, they will be. This is my explanation for the striking resemblance between Goku and Turles.

**Bakukaze:** Destructive Wind

* * *

**Q/A:**

**Jackalope89: **Yeah Goku and co aren't really superheroes. They just show up to fight major threats. They won't join the Justice League because that's just not their thing. They'll form their own loosely affiliated coalition later on. In this Universe, Goku and his friends are already famous though. They've all participated in the most popular TV event seen by millions. Privacy isn't something they can really have at this point. Superman and Goku will fuse much later on in the story. Vegito probably won't show up unless I do something involving parallel Earths.

**Aztec 13: **Wonder Woman will still appear later on in the story.

**Harley Quinn-PsychoticAntiHero:** I have no plans for Grail or her mother at the moment.

**Nima:** Yes, Superman will just continue to get stronger. (Yellow) solar exposure just increases his power.

**Darkmist111: **When you compare characters you have to judge them by their feats, not the character's original intention. Almost universally on every battle forum I've visited this is the measuring stick. That might be Saitama's intent but he just doesn't have the feats to defeat Superman or Goku at this point. You have to weight what's measurable, otherwise, you're falling prey to the no limits fallacy.

**Rowknan:** Frieza had nothing to do with the creation of Doomsday. Doomsday is a lot older than Frieza. Frieza has had encounters with the GL corps and I'll expound on it when the Namek saga starts. The GL corps has not been wiped out though. Vegeta will share more info about the Krypto-Saiyan war, but it won't really be explained in full until Zod appears.

**Bro123: **The Flash (Post-Crisis, Wally West) is faster than all DBZ characters.

**JOEL:** Piccolo is his own man and does as he pleases.

**Guest:** Majin Buu is older than most of the gods on Earth. They don't really know anything about him.

**Spencerlonewolf:** Krypton (In this Universe) wasn't on the verge of destruction. Frieza just blew it up. Gohan will still be involved with Piccolo.

**Johnny Spectre: **Raditz comment was in relation to Krypto-Saiyan war though. Those two races were at war for decades and Kryptonians still never figured out a way to sense Ki.

**Kabuto S. Inferno: **I'll go back and re-read the line you were talking about. I have big plans for Gohan later on in the story. Honestly, he might turn out to be the strongest character in this fic.

**berrus-sama:** Hi, I didn't respond to your comments because I wasn't really sure what you were saying. From your profile, I can see that English isn't your first language.

**Guest:** I'm probably not going to go beyond Super Saiyan God in this story.

**Ethan Demas:** They call it "man's world" because our society and civilization is run by men for the most part. Themyscira is completely run by women. Bulma X Vegeta is still going to happen. I'm going to keep some of the canon pairings. I'll give you a hint on who I'm pairing Clark with...she's an alien with red hair. I'm probably not going to include the galactic patrol in this story. There's barely any info on them outside of Jaco. I don't have much to work with. No one from the GL corps will be involved in Vegeta's battle.

**Outplace: **I'll look into Cythonna. I've heard of her but never read any material concerning her. I already have the battle with Doomsday planned out in advance. Thanks for the ideas though.

**The Man of Time: **I actually do plan on doing Future's End. Terry will travel back to the past, but this plot will be totally different.

**Jason123: **Gero won't be involved in the creation of Cyborg, but he will be involved in something else.

**Guest: **Goku won't be getting a superhero costume.

**Ninan 2222:** Hercule won't be taking credit for anything in this story.

**Beerus 123: **The Supreme Kai only knows about the DBZ lore.

**Guest: **It depends on the specific versions of the characters you're talking about, but Trigon and the Anti-Monitor are more powerful than everyone in DBZ.

**JOEL:** Future's End will happen, and you'll just have to read and find out

**Goku122222: **Androids will appear in this story

**Kobura:** **1.** Batman will use suits occasionally when the time calls for it, but I'm not gonna turn him into Iron Man lol **2.** I don't have the Namek saga planned out yet so I can't answer that **3.** The human Z-fighters will be more important in this story than they were in canon **4.** I never mentioned anything about Superman Prime god, you probably misread what I wrote. Which gods? There are several of them in this story. As I said in a previous chapter, Saitama will not be appearing in this story because he has nothing to do with either one of these franchises. This is a DBZ X DC crossover only.

**atom king:** The Hellbat armor will make an appearance late down the line.

**Uub God Of Destructuon: **Gohan probably won't get weather manipulation abilities, as they'll be unnecessary. There will be female Saiyan's introduced down the line in the story. Cell is going to be even more powerful than he was in canon due to the added DNA. Goku's tail was cut off a long time ago, it was mentioned in one of the previous chapters. SSG and SSJ4 will probably be as far as I go regarding Super Saiyan forms.


	17. Attack of the Saiyans IV: Aftermath

_Thoughts_

_**Computer Speech**_

"Speech"

**Disclaimer: DC and DBZ belong to their respective owners; I own nothing.**

**Chapter 17: Attack of the Saiyans IV: Aftermath**

_**December**_

**Age 761 (2011), Metropolis, Lexcorp Labs**

* * *

"Run a full analysis. I want a thermal reading, a radiation scan, and a full assessment of the metal alloys that were used to create it. I don't care how long it takes, I want to know everything about it."

"_**A full analysis will be complete in 24 hours Mr. Luthor"**_

Satisfied with the response from his computer, Lex swiveled in his chair as he turned away from the massive mainframe. It had been two months. Two_ long_, arduous, months following the battle of Gotham. 'Grief in Gotham' as the event had been dubbed by various members of the media, had resulted in catastrophic damage. Millions, possibly billions, worth of damage had been done to the city. The entertainment sector and the bay were in complete shambles.

Normally Lex would have taken immense pleasure in his words materializing into truth. The so-called superheroes had caused as much, if not more damage than they had prevented. Lexcorp satellites had recorded all of the mayhem, thankfully from a safe distance. Officially. the government had announced that it was a previously unknown Metahuman that had attacked. All data regarding the event had been wiped clean by Argus, save for Lexcorp of course.

The government didn't want to panic an already frightened public. Aliens were of course nothing new, the man of steel was an extraterrestrial after all. But an alien invader was not something the US government was ready to reveal. It was quite hypocritical from Lex's standpoint, but he knew there greater schemes at work. Aside from scrubbing the battlefield clean of evidence, Argus had retrieved the alien's body as well.

It was incredibly frustrating to have been beaten to the punch. Who knew what secrets Goku's brother held? Sure he was dead, but the Saiyan's body could have provided fascinating research. The abilities he had displayed had overpowered the Earth's mightiest superheroes. With that amount of destructive potential Lex would have been capable of anything.

But he had unfortunately been robbed of that marvelous opportunity. He would just have to settle for the intriguing scouter the Saiyan had worn. The possibilities were nearly endless with this device. It was capable of sensing a person's energy signature. Ki was still one of the world's greatest mysteries, and nothing aggravated Lex more than being left in the dark.

But this wee little machine would finally shed light on it. Lex had always considered a being like Superman the ultimate big brother, but even he could not do what this scouter could. The Kryptonian's powers had limitations, where it seemed Ki, or at least this scouter, did not. It could potentially serve as the ultimate tracking device. He had seen it for himself, scanning the energy signals of his employees from deep inside his laboratory.

In the wrong hands it could be disastrous, but fortunately, it was in Lex's.

As wonderful as this all was, there was still a startling bit of information that he had uncovered; Saiyans. Two more Saiyans would be arriving soon, and in an undisclosed amount of time too. If these invaders were even as remotely powerful as their comrade, it would spell doom for mankind. Humanity was on the brink of an event that could alter human history. It was a stacked deck against the Earth, but Lex knew what cards to play. When the dust finally settled, he would be the hero humanity deserved and needed to usher them into a new age.

_**December**_

**Age 761 (2011), Washington, Argus headquarters**

Argus headquarters was abuzz with life. This, however, was nothing new in the two months following Goku's death. The murder of one of the Earth's most powerful beings sent shockwaves that reverberated around the globe. Chikyu's hero had been universally beloved. King Piccolo's miraculous defeat, by Goku's hands, had jumpstarted the very creation of Argus.

That event was now known as the Metahuman flashpoint. Since 2003 the number of Metahumans had skyrocketed astronomically. People with gifts and special abilities were coming out of the woodwork every single day. It was incredibly hard and almost impossible to keep pace with these brand new discoveries. Even more perturbing was the fact that the overwhelming majority of these cases appeared to be in two places: Chikyu and America.

The NATO allies and sister countries were plagued by the same issues. During George Bush's tenure as president, an executive order was given to create Argus. The United States was still heavily focused on the war on terror, but Metahumans were an even bigger concern. No expense was spared to fund the organization. The government had gone to extreme lengths to make sure of it. Heck, most of the budget for the campaign in Iraq had actually been rewired to fund Argus.

The Advanced Research Group Uniting Superhumans, as the organization had been named, was to serve and monitor Metahumans. Until recently there had been no acting head to command the agency. An assortment of generals and field agents had served as commander for brief periods of time, but none had been deemed fit for complete leadership. But that had all changed once Colonel Steve Trevor had strolled through the front doors.

The sandy-haired operative had been the first person to encounter Wonder Girl. Steve Trevor had personally been rescued by her hand. The majestic power he had witnessed sparked the urge to learn more about superpowered beings. From that day forward he tirelessly devoted himself towards that effort. In a few short years, he had made an astounding rise in military ranks. But it had come as a complete shock when he had been offered the chance to become head of Argus, something he previously didn't even know existed.

The agency had been cleverly kept under wraps, until recently. Years of waiting had finally coalesced into a level seven event. Raditz arrival was the starting point for Argus public introduction. The agency would be needed now more than ever, especially considering the threats to come. They could no longer afford to hide in the shadows.

"Colonel Trevor!" An abrupt shout awoke the commander from his momentary stupor.

The director of Argus shook his head as he turned from the computer screen. His vision was blurry from the consecutive hours staring at the screen.

"I'm worried about you Steve, you've been cooped up in here for days," A concerned Chichi noted as she approached his desk.

"I just lost track of time," He muttered as he fumbled through the numerous files on his desk.

"I know you're concerned about what's to come- we all are. But you can't stress yourself out in here," The room the Ox-King's daughter was referring to was the commander's office. It was a rather bland, stereotypical office, but Steve liked to keep it simple.

"We have an undetermined amount of time before another alien invasion. Goku is dead. Wonder Woman is missing and assumed to have shared the same fate. Goku's killer is still at large, Raditz body is missing and we lost track of his scouter!" Angrily slamming his fist into the metal desk, Steve scowled as he mused over all this madness.

"We had no control over any of that Steve. Who could have predicted an alien falling out of the sky? All of our agencies activity thus far, has remained Earthbound," No one had considered the possibility of Goku being an extraterrestrial. In hindsight, his tail should have raised some of Chichi's personal alerts, though.

"I can concede to that Chichi. But the fact remains we were specifically tasked to be in charge of such things. It's our job and failures like this can't happen on our watch," It was only a few months since president Obama had hand selected him to lead Argus. So far Steve hadn't done anything to inspire confidence.

"Look I understand your feelings," Chichi had once held romantic feelings for Goku, news of his death had crushed her. "Wonder Woman saved your life and started you down this road." Trevor's story was infamous around the organization, everyone knew.

"Which is why it's so frustrating that I can't do anything for her," All the news and data may have pointed towards the Amazons death- but Steve didn't believe it. "At the very least her son deserves answers." The director's head hung low at the mention of Gohan. The most recent reports indicated that he had been kidnapped by Piccolo.

"We could have sent a strike team like I suggested." Chichi frowned as she took a seat on the edge of the desk.

"And we would have sent them to their deaths. This organization isn't equipped with the means to deal with someone that powerful."

"But I could have-"

"Even with your ability to use Ki, it would have still been fruitless." Steve dismissed as he waved her off. On top of that, he couldn't afford to lose his top operative.

"So where do we go from here then? What are our next moves?"

"I-I don't know," A dejected Steve lamented as he ran his fingers through his hair. He began pacing as he rose from his seat. "There's just so much to account for. I thought I knew what I was getting into when I accepted this job. But this..._this_ is something I'm just not prepared for."

Steve was a normally calm and collected soldier. He was the one who convinced Chichi to join the agency. Seeing him in this capacity was alarming, to say the least. The burden of it all was finally weighing on him. Chichi's position as second in command would be more pivotal than ever.

"Just know I'm here for whatever you need," Chichi whispered as she hovered to him, taking hold of his hand. "You're one of the strongest people I know. We'll get through this together." Intertwining her hand with his Chichi smiled as she strengthened the grip.

Reciprocating her smile Steve leaned down as he swooped in for a kiss. "You always know how to make me feel better.

* * *

_**December**_

**Age 761 (2011), The Block **

"Twenty million tons?"

"Yes, that's your new limit now."

Superman sighed as he released the weights from his grasp. He was up ten million from his last attempt. His training with Dr. Shay Veritas was working wonders, he had been fortunate to meet her. The block, as she called it, was an advanced research facility located near the center of the Earth. It was one of the few selective places that Kal-El could train without endangering lives.

"That's good enough for today Superman, you should take a break and rest up for tomorrow." Dr. Veritas stated as she hovered over to the man of steel. The machine surrounding the Kryptonian was massive.

"As much as I'd like to, we both know that won't be possible. The Earth is facing a monstrous threat and I need to train as much as possible. On top of that, you know that my Kryptonian physiology doesn't require rest due to yellow sunlight." Clark finished with a smirk as he rose to meet the scientist.

"Ah yes the Saiyans," Shay deciphered as she put a thoughtful hand on her chin. "Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined that there was a race as powerful as yours in the cosmos. If only I had been there to observe Raditz in the flesh. His power, speed, and energy projection all deserve clinical observation. Where does that power come from? What purpose does a tail serve,"

Superman chuckled as Dr. Veritas began spouting off scientific jargon. She had a tendency to do that.

"If only Goku was here so I could,"

At the mention of his deceased friend's name Kal-El's jovial spirit vanished. Sensing she had hit a sensitive spot, Shay instantly tried to shift the focus of the conversation.

"But moving on, your progress has been-"

"It's fine Dr. Veritas you don't have to avoid him for my sake." It was still hard to process, but Clark was slowly coming to terms with his comrade's death.

Shay hadn't received the opportunity to meet the Saiyan, but she loved everything Superman had told her. Though she spent most of her time cooped up in her laboratory, Dr. Veritas knew of Goku's impact on the world. Wonder Woman's husband was one of the most beloved figures on the planet. His death had a profound effect around the globe. Chikyu had spent the entire month following his death in mourning.

"You'll get him back." Placing a reassuring hand on his shoulders the scientist smiled. Superman had informed her of the plan to resurrect him using the Dragonballs.

"We will. We have to," The Man of steel confidently said as he balled his fists. Earth wouldn't be able to defeat these new Saiyans without Goku's help. "But as you were saying earlier about my progress?"

"Oh yes, I almost completely forget," Palming her forehead the scientist opened her tablet as she quickly flipped through data. "Your strength has grown tremendously since our first test. The Photonucleic effect which grants you your powers is significantly lessened by being underground. When you finally do reemerge into the sunlight your power should multiply astronomically."

Bending down as he glanced over the data Clark couldn't help but grin at his improvement. His idea of training was completely unorthodox and had been disparaged by Bruce. The dark knight had suggested intense sunlight radiation. High exposure to the sun's rays would magnify his abilities in previously unseen ways. But Clark decided to put his trust in Shay instead.

His initial meeting with Dr. Veritas had come through a freak accident. She had required his help following an experiment that had gone awry. After saving her life Shay had felt indebted to him and promised to help in any way possible. Clark finally took her up on her offer following his battle with Raditz. So far she had yet to disappoint him.

"Maybe you've become powerful enough to face Piccolo now?" Dr. Veritas asked with a raised brow. Superman had been unable to rescue Gohan the first time, but maybe his added strength would do the trick now.

In the aftermath of the battle with Raditz, Ma Junior had kidnapped Gohan. Superman and Batman had been nearly powerless to stop him. Bursting onto the Capsule Corps compound, the Namekian snatched Gohan from Bulma's grasp. Wonder Woman had gone MIA and no one had seen her since her encounter with Intergang. At this point, she was presumed dead, but Bruce had never stopped looking for leads.

"As much as I hate to admit this...I'm not."

"What?!" Came a shocked reply from Shay as she shook her head.

"I know I'm not the only one whose been training for the Saiyans arrival. Tien, Yamcha, Krillin, and Chiaotzu have been preparing as well. I know for certain that Piccolo has grown even more powerful by now. Attempting to take him down would just be an exercise in futility."

"B-But you're Superman! You don't let these type of things just happen!"

"I know Shay and it doesn't sit well with me either but I haven't been left with a lot of choices. Bulma managed to slip a tracker onto Gohan and we've been following his every move. Even while underground I'm still monitoring his actions with my enhanced hearing. And as much as I hate to admit it, Piccolo is the person most capable of training Gohan while his parents are gone. We'll deal with him after this is all settled."

Staring directly into her eyes Superman reassured her. Gohan was his Godchild and he would make sure he survived this, no matter the cost. Piccolo would receive justice in due time.

* * *

_**October**_

**Age 761 (2011), Capsule Corps**

"I won't let you take him!"

"You have no other choice. I''m not going to repeat myself." Raising his hand Piccolo summoned energy to his fingertips as he formed a Ki beam. His true intentions weren't to harm Bulma, but he would do whatever was necessary.

"Your childish emotions will put the entire Earth at risk! Are you failing to realize this?"

"Oh no, I understand perfectly. Goku left Gohan with me to watch over him. Handing him over to one of his most powerful foes isn't exactly the smartest ideas." The sarcasm oozed from her words as she pulled Gohan closer to her.

"You know you don't have the means to stop me." Piccolo had already taken care of the security system surrounding her house. Finishing her off would be a piece of cake if he desired.

"Then what are you waiting for? Do it already then!" The Capsule Corps heiress couldn't understand his stalling. The Piccolo she knew wouldn't hesitate.

"All I want is the boy. I am the only one capable of training him properly for the threat to come."

"His mother can do a good enough job when she gets back."

"That's wishful thinking I cannot afford to have. Wonder Woman's energy signal went missing after she flew over the Aegean sea. Who knows what's happened to her."

_The Aegean sea? That's where Themyscira is! But what could she have gone to do there? Her exile isn't over yet. For her to abruptly leave in the middle of the night isn't a good sign. Goku had theorized that she had gone to help Batman in Gotham. This isn't right at all. _

"W-w-where's my Daddy?" Gohan sniffled as he wiped a tear from his eye. His mother had warned him to be wary of Piccolo and the Namekian's angry disposition certainly wasn't helping.

"He's dead." Ma Junior said rather bluntly, eliciting a stream of tears from the child.

"Thanks a lot, Piccolo, you've really done it now," Scowling as she pulled her Godson into her arms, Bulma wrapped him into a tight hug. "Don't worry Gohan we'll get your dad back no matter what."

Rolling his eyes Piccolo shook his head as he watched Bulma comfort the wailing child. The being with the most potential on the planet was reduced to tears by the mere truth. He would have correct that weakness under his tutelage.

"I have no time nor do I care to sugarcoat my words, even for the sake of a child. Gohan will be the secret weapon in our defense of this planet."

"So you want to use him as a weapon?" Bulma's brows furrowed as she eyes narrowed. This was a new low even for Piccolo.

"I have no intention of keeping him if that's what you think," The Namekian scoffed, he was no one's babysitter. "I just need him until the crisis is averted."

"Over my dead body!" An indignant Bulma shouted as she clenched Gohan even closer.

Shrugging Piccolo lowered his arms. "Have it your way then."

In a flash, the Namekian closed the gap between them, as he dashed across Capsule Corps front lawn. Rapidly moving his hands Piccolo struck key pressure points which caused the billionaire's body to become numb. In one fell swoop, he grabbed the boy and began marching away.

"You won't get away with this!"

"Oh but that's exactly what I'm doing." Piccolo nonchalantly said and he continued moving. By this point, Gohan had begun thrashing against his grip.

"Let me go!" The enraged toddler anguished as began kicking and screaming.

"Calm yourself before I..."

Piccolo's sentence was left unfinished as Gohan broke free from his grasp, leaping into the air as he began to attack. His Ki infused kick was immediately blocked as Piccolo raised his forearm. The air surrounding them hummed as the two appendages connected with one another. Quickly distancing themselves both fighters settled into proper battle stances.

"Go get him Gohan!" Bulma shouted from the sidelines. Her body may have been immobile but she could still provide moral support.

_Might as well see what I'm working with here_. Relaxing his guard Piccolo provided Gohan an easy opening. The Demi-Saiyan admonished him and took it with no hesitation. Surging forwardthe adolescent reeled off a rapid-fire succession of punches. Ma Junior allowed them all to connect, gauging the power of each blow.

_Impressive._ Kami's evil half noted as he felt the sting of each strike. His skin was actually throbbing. As the child levitated into the air to punctuate his Kata Piccolo struck him in the stomach. There was a brief look of shock on the boy's face before his pupils went white. In less than a second Gohan was out cold, landing harshly against the ground.

"You monster!" Bulma yelled as tears obscured her vision. "You'll pay for this!"

"When the time comes I'll answer for my deeds. But until then I'm going to do what's necessary."

"Batman and Superman won't let you get away with this!"

"And what makes you think they possess the power to do that?"

"They'll find away!" Bulma's lips trembled as she spoke. Her tone betrayed her confidence.

"With Goku dead and Wonder Woman MIA, I am the most powerful being on this planet. If they want to stop me, fine. But if this planet is blown to bits by your best friend's species- I won't be to blame."

Without another word the Namekian blasted off into the skies corralling an unconscious Gohan as he did so.

"Shit!" Was all Bulma could say as she watched him fade into obscurity.

* * *

_**October**_

**Age 761 (2011), Themyscira**

"**Hippolyta!"**

Diana and Donna could only gawk in amazement as Hera stepped foot onto Paradise island. A massive earthquake followed as her gigantic toes planted down nearby the palace.

"**Reveal yourself Hippolyta**!"

The enraged goddesses words echoed like a sonic boom as her eyes scanned over the over the island. The queen would face judgment for her actions today.

"I know you're angry Hera but please, it doesn't have to be this way." Wonder Woman pleaded as she slowly rose to her feet, her ears still ringing in pain.

"**You have no place in this discussion Diana. Your very existence is a reminder of your mother's betrayal!**" Hera scowled as her pupiless eyes glanced down upon the princess. She was another one of her husband's bastard children.

"Oh, great and mighty Hera do what you must. The Queen and her daughter must pay for their sins." Donna urged as she knelt on her knees. The queen of the gods was an extremely volatile woman, she would not forget this grievance easily.

"I am not my mother nor can I apologize for her sins, but I can plead for your mercy. Has she not served you well? Has she not brought the gods honor?"

"**Your mother was an excellent monarch, the greatest I have witnessed in Earth's history. But her deceit cannot be forgotten. I was largely responsible for the conception of the Amazons and this is how she repays me?**" The anger rippled through every word as the waves surrounding Themyscira grew even higher.

"I don't know what went through my mother's mind when she decided to have an affair with Zeus. She is deserving of punishment," Diana swallowed hard. Even if it was her own mother she still had to uphold Amazon values. "But in your current mind-state, you won't be able to dictate it rationally. You have to calm down Hera."

"**Calm down!?**" Zeus' wife screeched, thunder crackling in the background as she shrunk down to normal size. "**Do you know who you're talking to? Hush your mouth child**."

Diana was flung back as Hera levitated her across the courtyard. Her momentum was eventually stopped as she collided with a pillar, unearthing its foundation.

"**And you**," Hera's eyes flickered over to Donna "**Just what kind of creature are you**?" The Olympian knew every Amazon that resided on Themyscira, and she was not one of them.

"She is our sacrifice to repair our former queen's misgivings Hera." Derinoe answered as she emerged from the palace doors. The chaos had waned significantly and no longer required her to take cover.

"**Your sacrifice?**" The mention of that word piqued Hera's interest. The Olympians weren't like the Mayan gods, demanding blood sacrifices at every turn, so just what was she referring to?

"We seek to cleanse Hippolyta's bloodline from the Earth." Alkyone spoke up as she followed Derinoe's lead, emerging from the confines of the mansion.

"**Alkyone?**" The surprise was evident in the goddesses voice. The former royal guard was supposed to be imprisoned.

"Hippolyta must pay." With a hard tug, the once loyal Amazon dragged Hippolyta out of the house. The queen tumbled as the chains around her neck lurched her forward.

"**There you are.**" The blood-lust was palpable as the queen of the gods laid eyes on her traitor. The waves encircling Themyscira inched closer as she tightened her fist.

"Hera please forgive me." Hippolyta begged as she brought before her patron god. Tears streamed down her face as she knelt before her.

"**In your current state, I might almost have pity for you,**" The Amazon was a truly a sight for sore eyes. Hippolyta hadn't looked this worn down since the battle with Hercules. "**But betrayal such as yours can never be forgiven**."

"Not only did she deceive you Hera, she lied to us all as well."

"She deserves to die!"

"I was once her most faithful and loyal servant but I can longer trust her after all of her lies. She kept a secret from us that could have destroyed the Amazon populace!"

"And she imprisoned me for recognizing the dark truth about her daughter!"

"Kill her!"

"There must be penance!"

Hera listened silently as Alkyone and Derinoe voiced their opinions on the matter. Long ago Derinoe had indeed been one of Hippolyta's most trusted Amazons. They had even developed a romantic relationship. Alkyone had once been a devoted soldier. The reason for her imprisonment had been murky, but Hera had decided to leave those matters to the Amazon queen.

Alkyone had a spiteful reason to hate Hippolyta, but Derinoe's reason was legitimate. It seemed even the most faithful Amazon had turned against Hippolyta.

"**As legitimate as your grievances may be, I don't care,**" Alkyone and Derinoe's faces blanched at Hera's words. "**I am merely here to enact my vengeance. I could care less about you or this accursed island**."

"B-b-but Hera we had nothing to do with -"

"**Silence!**" Hera's hands glowed at they pointed at Derinoe. "**My judgment is my judgment. Since you followed her, you must share the blame as well**."

"I take full responsibility for my actions Hera, but please don't punish my sisters for any of my deeds. Spare them and do what you must with me."

"**You have no say in what happens to Themyscira anymore. Your rights were forsaken the moment you betrayed me**!"

Hunching down Hippolyta placed a palm on Hippolyta's forehead. "**Oh, what could have been**." Clay began to form around the queen's body, spreading from her forehead to her feet. In an instant, Hippolyta became a lifeless statue.

"Mother!" Diana sprung into action as she took charge against the goddess. It didn't matter if Hera was the queen of the gods. It didn't matter if all the lies had lead up to this. Hippolyta was _still _her mother.

"**I've had enough of you**," Wonder Woman didn't even make it halfway before she caught by an invisible force. "**You broke the terms of your exile**."

"Yes, Hera! Punish her!" Derinoe gleefully shouted

"She must pay for her transgressions!" Alkyone added in.

"**Actually, you will all pay**!" With a cruel smile, Hera released the waves she had been holding back. Derinoe and Alkyone could only watch in terror as the massive streams of water flooded their homeland.

_What have we done?_

* * *

_**October**_

**Age 761 (2011), King Yemma's Desk**

"Is this Hades? It looks a lot different than I imagined." Goku mumbled as he glanced around the spacious room.

"No Goku, this is King Yemma's check-in desk. This is the place souls go before they receive their final destination."

"Oh, final destination? You mean like the movie?"

Kami couldn't help but sweatdrop at the Saiyan's response. _Well, that is one way to look at it. _

"King Yemma decides where a soul go. There are two options: heaven and hell."

"Well this is odd," Goku frowned as he folded his arms. "Diana described the afterlife a bit differently from you. There's Tartarus, the Elysian fields, the..."

"Oh, I understand now." Kami nodded as he interrupted Goku. "Wonder Woman told you about her afterlife."

"Her afterlife?"

"Yes her afterlife. You know there are multiple after life's right?" Kami asked as he leaned forward.

"Uh...not really?" Goku chuckled as he rubbed his temple in confusion.

"That's strange I thought Diana would have informed you about them," Kami mused as he rubbed his chin. "It's of no matter though, I'll just explain it to you."

"Okay." Goku nonchalantly shrugged as he began to pay extra attention.

"For starters, there are multiple pantheons of gods in the Universe."

"Pantheons?"

"A group of gods." Goku's education had been significantly limited due to his childhood. It was no fault of his own but the god of Earth would have to be careful with his words.

"The Shinjin, the pantheon I belong to, are one of those groups of gods."

"Okay, I think I'm catching your drift." Goku nodded along as he digested the newfound information.

"The Shinjin are a race of beings that are separated into four groups. The Kai's and the Kaioshin are the benevolent, righteous gods. King Kai, whom you'll be seeing later, is a Kai. The Makai and Makaioshin are malevolent evil demons. They are polar opposites of one another."

"So you're a Shinjin too then?" Goku inquired as he attempted to investigate further.

"No, I'm something entirely different. Actually, I'm not sure what I am," Kami glowered as he began rambling. "My situation is a bit different. You refer to me as 'Kami', but that isn't my real name. Kami is actually a post, a designation for the Earth's god. You could be Kami one day."

"Really?" The Saiyan's eyes expanded at the mention of it. Kami had been a great teacher and a secondary father figure to Goku. Taking over his job one day didn't sound too bad.

"But that hopefully won't be for a long time," The deity chuckled. "But as I was saying I belong to the Shinjin pantheon. The Kai's and Kaioshin are the head gods but several other deities, such as myself, are under their jurisdiction."

"Diana worships the Greek gods. I actually met one of them when I was younger. How do they fit into the puzzle though?"

"They coexist with the Shinjin. They have their own rules and regulations though. The places you previously mentioned, Tartarus and the Elysian fields, are locations in their afterlife."

"Why did I end up in this specific afterlife though? I thought I would go to Hades."

"You didn't end up there because you don't believe in the Olympians."

"But I do believe in them! I've met them before and I know they exist." Goku rebutted. The rest of the world may have stopped believing in them, but Chikyu's hero knew the truth.

"You believe in them but you don't worship them. Did you pray to them? Did you honor them? Did you ask for their guidance? I know your wife did."

"No...I didn't." The Saiyan finally admitted. His wife was the one who was a firm believer in the Greek gods. He merely showed respect, but not once had he ever prayed to them.

"And there lies your answer," Earth's guardian said with a smile. "The afterlife people end up in depends on their belief system."

"Their belief system?"

"Their religion or faith in other words. Diana believes in the Greek gods. If she ever dies she'll end up in their afterlife. The same thing applies to people of other faiths."

"Oh okay," Goku paused as he pondered Kami's words. "But I don't have a faith. I never prayed to the Shinjin. Heck, this is my first time ever hearing of them."

"I knew you'd ask that eventually," The Namekian grinned as he raised a finger. "The Otherworld, the place we are currently at, is a junkyard of sorts."

"A junkyard?" King Yemma parroted as he finally joined the discussion.

"Oh no, I didn't mean it like that King Yemma." Kami nervously chuckled as he anxiously waved his arms. Offending the owner of the check-in desk was something he did not want to do.

"What your prasinous friend meant to say," The red ogre glared at the Earth's guardian. "Was that the Otherworld is a place where people with no particular faith go to." **[1]**

"So everyone who doesn't believe in something ends up here?" The Saiyan inquired further.

"Yes, everyone," King Yemma continued. "As you can imagine that's a lot of souls in a Universe as big as ours."

"What happens if I start believing in a pantheon of gods though?"

"You'll be judged by whatever belief system they have. But since you're already dead that's not going to be possible."

"So my wife and I will be separated once we finally die huh?" The Saiyan frowned as he reached that sudden epiphany. That just wasn't fair!

"I can see you're displeased with that tidbit of information. But if you wouldn't mind...can we finally get down to business!" King Yemma shouted as he slammed his fist into the gigantic desk beneath him. He was an incredibly busy man.

"Oh yes, my apologies King Yemma," Kami quickly apologized for wasting his precious time. He had completely lost track of time during his conversation with Goku. "We're here because we have one special request to ask of you."

* * *

_**December**_

**Age 761 (2011), Batcave**

"Master Bruce you've been at this all day, I think you should take a break."

Remaining impassive Batman slumped further into his chair. He couldn't afford to take a break right now. The stakes were too high for him to even consider momentary relaxation. He had to find a way to prepare the Earth, as well as himself, for the threat to come. Chances could not afford to be taken.

"I know you named yourself after a Bat, but even they do not remain in the dark constantly."

Bruce scowled as he finally swiveled around in his chair to face his butler, and life long friend. It had been what? Two days since he had lead the cave? That was normal for him.

"It's only been 48 hours Alfred."

"Actually, it's been 120," His butler said matter-of-factly. "Quite frankly this isn't healthy, even for you."

Had it really been that long? The dark knight couldn't believe he had let time escape like that. Had he been that caught up watching footage of Raditz arrival? The stubble underneath his cowl was unnaturally long. He usually shaved every two days.

"You're right Alfred," Bruce finally conceded as he rested his chin on his fist. "Is everything at Waynetech okay?"

His ever faithful butler simply nodded. "I informed them that you were out of the country on business."

"Thank you," Bruce curtly replied as he breathed a sigh of relief. Alfred always covered for him when he got lost in his work. "It's getting harder and harder to manage both aspects of my life."

Alfred snorted. This was something he already knew. Balancing Batman and Bruce Wayne was truly a juggling act. It was getting to the point where Alfred was struggling to remember who the real person was. Bruce was slowly becoming a mask for Batman.

"When you started this campaign against crime in Gotham I was one hundred percent behind you," Bruce had been so young when his need for justice had overtaken him. "But I'm beginning to see the true toll it's taking on you. These late nights, the lack of sleep, the physical punishment...is it worth it?"

Batman frowned as he slowly removed the cowl from his face. Dangling the black polyester in his face he contemplated Alfred's words. Batman was more than an alter ego for him, it was who he truly was. In the grand scheme of things, his life didn't matter. If he didn't stand up to injustice, who would?

"The worth isn't the true question Alfred, the success of my mission is. My life or death doesn't mean anything at all. In a world where beings fly, shoot lasers from their eyes, and produce energy capable of destroying cities I am truly meaningless."

"Master Bruce don't say that." Hearing those words was like putting a bullet through Alfred's heart. He didn't intend for his honest questioning to result in this.

"Let me finish old friend," Bruce halted him as he raised a hand. "I am meaningless in the power hierarchy of this new age that we are entering into. I have no gifts of my own to do battle with, save my mind. How successful can be with that alone?"

"Your mind isn't your only gift," Alfred contested as he flicked on the lights in the Batcave. "You are one of the greatest martial artists on the planet."

"I was Alfred. I was," Bruce sighed as he tossed his cowl onto the floor. "Ki has made my martial arts skills almost obsolete."

"What do you mean?"

"Anything that I can do physically can be easily overmatched by someone who can use Ki. The only reason I've been able to defeat Talia Al Ghul in our encounters is because she lacks the ability to use it."

"Then why not learn how to channel?" Bruce was never one to back down from a challenge.

"It could possibly take decades for someone who isn't Homo Magki to learn it. Talia's father learned how to channel it without being part of that subspecies, but only because he had the necessary time to do so. Six hundred years is time I cannot afford."

"Ah yes, I almost completely forgot about that," Alfred crossed his arms as he sighed. "The Homo Magki have an advantage over you on that."

Finally rising from his chair Bruce began pacing around the Batcave. There were numerous artifacts that served as a trophy case of sorts. A mask from the joker, a giant penny from Two-Face, but did any of it truly matter in the end. They were all small fries in the pecking order. Raditz had shown him just how vulnerable and weak he was.

How would he be able to fight these new Saiyans?

"When I left Gotham to embark on my worldwide training trip I was completely clueless about the world. I ignorantly believed that my training would be enough to protect Gotham. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that beings so powerful existed on our planet. The World's Martial Arts tournament was my first real exposure to true power. Everything I believed was shattered that day."

"But you pressed on, you continued to training irrespective of the gifts you witnessed."

"At the time, I did so because the majority of those gifts were in hands of the good. But now," Bruce's next sentence lingered in the air before he finally spoke. "Maniacal aliens are threatening to kill us all."

"So you're giving up then?" Alfred asked with a brow raised.

"Never!" Bruce indignantly replied. "I just don't know where to go from here."

"The answer is simple master Bruce," Alfred smiled as the man he had sworn to take care of glanced at him. "You keep going. Even without superpowers or Ki, there's no one more capable of defeating them than you. You'll find a way."

* * *

_**December**_

**Age 761 (2011), The Sahara Desert **

"What type of monster is he?!" Piccolo's breathing slowed as the sweat dripped from his forehead. His hand was still trembling in terror, but he still managed to control his motor functions. "Unbelievable."

That was the only word which could encapsulate the chain of events that had just taken place before him. As normal he had dropped Gohan off in a remote location for training. Yesterday it had been Antarctica, but the Namekian had been in a particularly good mood today. He had decided to go somewhat easy on the three-year-old. He had dropped him off in the middle of the Sahara desert.

There were no cities, villages, or huts for hundred of miles where Piccolo had released him. Gohan was forced to survive on his own. Taking his normal position high in the sky, far away from leering eyes, Ma Junior inspected him. Goku's son was not at all bothered by the scorching climate and trudged on like a true warrior. By now Piccolo had come to expect this, seeing as how the Demi-Saiyan was a prodigy.

All had seemingly gone well until night time. Gohan had been practicing new battle techniques when suddenly, his focus had been broken. Though he was a mere child, Gohan's attention has hard to capture. The pubescent boy fell into a strange trance as he stared at the full moon. It was then that all hell broke loose.

Ma Junior was sure he had seen all of Earth's wonders, but Gohan had amazed him today. The hybrid had transformed into a gigantic ape. Almost instantly the mindless monster went on a horrific rampage. Fortunately, there was no one around for miles. The endless grains of sands bore the brunt of the monster's rage. Even more frightening had been its power.

With that transformation, Gohan had become even more powerful than Raditz. His power skyrocketed to a frightening level. If not for his quick thinking Piccolo would have been dead right now. The Namekian smartly deduced the source of Gohan's powers; his tail. Swiftly slicing it off Gohan had reverted to normal form. He would have been doomed otherwise.

Now as he hovered over the unconscious child Piccolo was faced with a dilemma. The full moon had played a part in his transformation. If the other Saiyans shared the same ability, the Earth would be powerless to stop them. He could destroy the moon but the planet would suffer as a result. The Earth's ecosystem was dependent on it. But there wouldn't even be an Earth to worry about if the Saiyans transformed into those apes.

_I have to do it! It's better to take the preemptive strike. What I do now is for the sake of the Earth._

"Don't do it!"

Piccolo stopped dead in his tracks as a new voice emerged. It sounded almost ethereal.

"Reveal yourself!" The Namekian demanded. There was no one around them for miles. He couldn't even feel a Ki presence.

"I'm here." In the blink of an eye, a rather large white owl fluttered in front of Piccolo.

"An owl? Is this a joke?" Ma Junior asked incredulously. This was almost a scene straight out of Harry Potter.

"I wish there was something to joke about, but there isn't. I am only here because of the dire circumstances."

"The Saiyans you mean?"

"No, a threat even greater than them."

"Greater than the Saiyans?" This was just his luck. "What is it now?" Piccolo sighed, his words dragging as he asked.

"It regards Gohan's mother."

"Diana." Piccolo quickly realized.

Following Goku's death, Batman had scoured his home for answers. Wonder Woman had gone missing during the most crucial of moments, and that was not her character. With Superman's help, he was able to find a letter she had left behind. It detailed Diana's reason for leaving, revealing she had gone to Themyscira. Unfortunately for the Earth's heroes, when they had ventured to the island, there was nothing there. Bulma had been completely flabbergasted.

"What happened to her?" Quite frankly the Namekian didn't really care, but Diana's power would be of great use.

"Let's just say there was a big dispute within our family."

"Our family?" Ma Junior repeated. The words she had used along with her appearance shed light on who she really was. "You're Athena!"

"Correct." The Owl nodded as it landed on the Namekian's shoulder.

"Will Wonder Woman be returning anytime soon?"

"That's completely dependent on my mother. But she is alive for the time being."

"Well that's of no use to me," Piccolo scowled as he folded his arms. "Why did you come here anyways? You're interrupting serious business."

"I thought you would like my help, but your attitude says otherwise. I can gladly go elsewhere if you're going to continue being so -"

"Your point has been made," Athena was a god. Turning her away wouldn't be the smart thing to do.

"Good," The goddess smiled. "As I was saying. Wonder Woman will be of no help to Earth right now. I'm working on a plan to assist her though. But those affairs are my own and I cannot include you mortals in them."

"Fair enough." Piccolo shrugged. Helping his arch-nemesis wife wasn't exactly on his to-do list anyways.

"I am here to help concerning my nephew, though. He has a great future ahead of him," The tapestry of the fates had decreed it. Gohan would be the one to bring great change to the Universe. "But he cannot control his power right now." **[2]**

"What do you suggest I do then?"

"Let me seal it."

"Seal it? I'm sure you already know about the Saiyans that are on the way. We need every advantage we can get."

"But at what cost? You've seen what Gohan is capable of. If left unchecked he could destroy the planet before they even get here. You have no experience dealing with the child of a god!"

"The child of a god?" Confusion settled onto the Namekian's face. Goku was just a Saiyan, that meant Diana was an Olympian! "How is that possible?"

"I've said too much already," Athena mentally berated herself. That nugget of information shouldn't have been shared. "I will seal his divine powers until he is of age. His normal strength will be left alone though."

"I...I can agree to that," Ma Junior begrudgingly accepted. Gohan's potential godly abilities were something he had no expertise in. "But what about the moon?"

"I will deal with it when the time comes. I will make sure the Saiyans are unable to use it to their benefit. Their might is nothing in comparison to my own."

"Too bad you gods only care to meddle in our affairs when it benefits you," His shared knowledge with Kami granted him the history of the Olympians. "Get it over then, I don't have all night."

* * *

_**December**_

**Age 761 (2011), The Himalayas **

"We've been up here for days Tien, I think it's time we move one."

"Just one more day Chiaotzu and I promise we'll leave."

The mime-like man groaned, but eventually slumped into the frosty snow. Meditation was vital to their training, but at this point, Chiaotzu felt they had done enough. They had been up here for close to a week now, doing the same exact thing every day. Things were becoming monotonous, even for him. They had agreed to train in a different location every week, so the former assassin was baffled as to why they remained here.

"We'll be done soon enough Chiaotzu, I promise."

"Time is of the essence, Tien. The more time we waste here the closer those Saiyans get to Earth."

In truth, there was a secret reason why Tien had chosen to remain here for the time being. Sure, the Himalayas were a beautiful place, and there was a spiritual aura surrounding it, but he had come here for a completely different reason. These mountains held the last reported sightings of Lady Shiva. Though he had long ago abandoned his allegiance to the League of Assassins, he still maintained ties with Shiva. Following their last encounter, she dropped a bombshell on him; she was pregnant.

The world's most dangerous female assassin was far from promiscuous and had only been sleeping with one person to his knowledge. Everything seemingly pointed to Tien being the father. He had spent the past several months hunting her down until Raditz had arrived. The Saiyan's rampage and subsequent murder had halted everything. But even as they trained for greater threats, his mind remained fixed on locating her.

_I hate withholding all the information from Chiaotzu, but he didn't exactly leave on good terms with Shiva. I need to confirm it's absolutely true before I reveal this to him. If she's lying, it wouldn't be the first time. I know there are more important tasks at hand, but I can't just let this go. I need answers. _

* * *

_**December**_

**Age 761 (2011), Diablo Desert**

"They say home is where the heart is," Smiling to himself, Yamcha scanned his old stomping grounds. It was exactly how he remembered it. "I haven't been here in years. Time sure does fly."

Hovering into the air, memories began to flood the lone wolf's mind. His days as a bandit weren't the most moral, but they were some of the best times of his life. Everything had been so simple, so easy, back then. Tagging along with Puar, the duo robbed and stole everything they needed. They survived in the wilderness alone, off pure instinct.

Unfortunately, those days were long gone. He didn't miss the thievery or his former life of deception. But he did miss its beautiful simplicity. The world was so small back then, and easy to compartmentalize. But now he was dealing with alien invaders from another planet.

His position in the Universe was getting smaller by the day. Goku had changed his life the day they had met. Following that event things only got stranger. Demons, monsters, magic and an assortment of other supernatural things became a staple in his life. Yamcha's power grew, but other beings often dwarfed him.

In all honesty, he hadn't felt useful since his first world's martial art's tournament. But now he had the opportunity to change all that. Goku's death had been a tragedy, but the Saiyan had died a hero. Yamcha had to do him proud. It was his turn to finally step up to the plate.

_After all these years and failures; I can finally correct my mistakes. _

* * *

_**December**_

**Age 761 (2011), Aokigahara**

Suicide forest. It was an offsetting name, and quite frightening to outsiders, but Krillin didn't mind. The terrible connotation it held didn't bother the former monk at all. Surprisingly it was actually very peaceful here. Aside from a few curious tourists, there wasn't anyone here to impede his training.

When he had received news of Goku's death he had been crushed. Goku was his dearest friend, stretching back to their days under Master Roshi's tutelage. The fact that the combined efforts of the Earth's heroes had barely been enough to defeat Raditz, had been quite unsettling. Even worse was the fact that these approaching Saiyans were believed to be even more powerful.

_Aliens, who would have thought it?_

The revelation of Goku's true lineage had been a shock, but easy to digest. It explained all of his quirks and unnatural abilities. No matter how hard Krillin trained Goku seemed to pick up things easier than him. His strength was monstrous, even for a Ki user, and his now detached tail was completely out of the norm. It all made sense once Bulma had broken it down to him.

The Capsule Corps heiress had rounded up her old friends in hopes that they would be able to defeat Piccolo. The former demon king had kidnapped Gohan, much to her dismay. But Batman had ultimately dissuaded them. The Earth didn't need any more unnecessary conflicts. Plus, as much as they hated to admit it, Piccolo was best suited to train Gohan. Things most certainly would have gone differently if Wonder Woman were present though.

_Diana where are you? _

The Amazon princess was another dear friend of Krillin's. She had married his best friend after all. Her disappearance had been extremely unsettling and had resulted in a worldwide search for her. So far nothing had come up though. It appeared the world would have to make due without it's most powerful hero.

Krillin had gotten to so used to depending on her. The Diana and Goku handled most of Chikyu's threats. Krillin had mostly been at ease when she had been around. Sure, there were occasional instances which called for his help, but most of his time was spent relaxing in the sun. That dependency had made him weak. It was something he sought to rectify with his training.

_The Earth is counting on me and I can't let it down. There's no one else to rely on but me. I don't know how Goku is so carefree with all this pressure. I have to rise to the occasion now._

* * *

_**December**_

**Age 761 (2011), ****Areopagus, The abode of Ares **

"So your plan succeeded?"

"It did brother and it was surprisingly easy too."

"How so?" Ares questioned as he scrutinized his sister. His numerous attempts to destroy the Amazons had always failed, how had she been victorious?

"With careful planning of course," Strife chuckled with a snort. The god of wars plans were always so convoluted. Hers had been rather simple. "It began when daddy dearest tried to capture the Dragonballs." **[3]**

"All those years ago, I remember," Ares mused as he recanted that round table meeting. "Father had been so adamant about retrieving them."

"And I was the one who had slipped the idea into his mind, mental suggestion is quite powerful," The magenta goddess grinned, as she took a sip from her ever-present glass of wine. "I knew he would select the Amazons for the task and select his daughter to do it. I was more than happy to be his messenger." **[4]**

"Zeus played favorites as usual." Ares grumbled.

"But that's what our father does," Strife shrugged. The king of the gods was as biased as any mortal. "Our little sister failed in retrieving the Dragonballs and ultimately could not betray her friends."

"How pitiful. Those bonds and relationships will only tie her down."

"And they have brother. It's why she got exiled remember?"

"How could I forget? That was such a wonderful day." A toothy smile gleamed underneath Ares helmet.

"From there I simply planted the seeds of distrust by telling Derinoe the truth. You wouldn't believe how scorned, older lovers can be." **[5]**

"Derinoe was a loyal fool."

"Hippolyta's old flame did the rest. She freed Alkyone and began creating dissension on Themyscira," Even Strife had to commend that old crone for her strategic abilities. "Years of subversion along with poor leadership by Hippolyta finally culminated."

"This plan of yours took far too long now that I think about it." Ares commented as he thought about all the years that had been wasted.

"But what is time to an immortal?" Strife had an eternity to succeed. Time was meaningless to her. "Creating a clone of Hippolyta was quite ingenious on Derinoe's part."** [6]**

"Her revolt was successful too." Ares added. He had watched the brutal battle from this same realm.

"But of course, she wouldn't have succeeded without my gift."

"The apples you mean?"

"Of course," Strife smiled. They were her favorite possessions. "That was the little push the Amazons needed, and Hera simply did the rest."

"Mother's jealousy and anger is something even I do not wish to invoke," Ares grimaced, an involuntary shudder going down his spine. "So mother destroyed them?"

"No, they aren't dead. Hades hasn't received any new Amazons since their civil war," Strife frowned. That was rather displeasing. "But on the bright side, they no longer exist on the earthly plane."

"But they are gone, though?"

"Yes, they won't be able to impede on your plans. You're not worried about the Saiyans though?"

The god of war scoffed. "I could eliminate them with the blink of an eye if I pleased. Those mortals will defeat them anyways."

"So we're on to phase two then?"

"Of course sister. The time for waiting is over."

* * *

_**January**_

**Age 762 (2011), Cadmus Island**

"Be careful with that! We need his body to be in pristine condition." Amanda Waller barked as she berated a clumsy scientist.

"I..I'm sorry." The nervous man quickly apologized.

"Don't apologize, do _better._" Amanda growled as she grabbed him by his collar.

"I don't think your attitude is helping them Amanda."

"That's _Ms. Waller_ to you. And I don't believe I asked for your opinion," The ebony woman scowled as she turned to face Dr. Gero. "You're lucky you're not in prison right now."

Amanda's temperament alienated his work staff, but he could not refute her point. He was a member of a fallen terrorist organization. He had been fortunate to even be offered this job. The Red Ribbon Army had been his life, but following its fall he had nothing. This job had become his saving grace.

"My apologies," The scientist swallowed. He would have to put up with her for the time being. "But we work better in a relaxed environment."

"You'll work in whatever environment I give you," As far as Amanda was concerned; she owned Dr. Gero. "I'm doing you an unnecessary favor by even bringing him here. Argus is looking everywhere for Raditz body. I brought him to you because I know you're the most capable man for the job."

The scientist's eyes widened at this. Was she actually complimenting him? "Of course, and I'm extremely delighted to begin examining him. But why did you bring him here though?"

"Steve Trevor is a fool," Amanda stated bluntly. She was the secretary of Metahuman affairs, but Steve had been chosen to lead Argus. "He's too weak and kindhearted to do what's truly necessary. I know his moral code would never allow him to mutilate a dead corpse. Raditz body potentially holds secrets that we _need_ to know."

Spite. It was always some petty reason which led to political disagreements. Amanda Waller might have deluded herself into believing she was doing this for her country's interests, but Dr. Gero knew better. At the base of this was her anger for being skipped over. He would have to play along though.

"I agree, which is why I'll immediately begin working on it."

"You had better," The secretary threatened, with a pointed finger. "For all our sakes."

* * *

**A big thank you to everyone who reviewed chapter 16! **

**Authors Note: Over 450 reviews! Thank you so much for all the love. I can't believe it's already been two years since I published this story. Time sure does fly. **

**[1]:** Numerous people in previous chapters have asked for an explanation about the various afterlife's in this story. Everything is based on belief. Diana believes in the Greek gods, so she will go to them when she dies. If you have no particular belief you end up in the jurisdiction of the Shinjin. They also oversee the use of Ki in the broader Universe. Otherworld is based solely on deeds, and not beliefs like other afterlife's might be.

**[2]:** Gohan's hidden potential is even more destructive due to his lineage in this story. Athena has to take some precautions to keep him from unraveling underneath all it's might.

**[3]: **This took place back in chapter 5.

**[4]: **This took place in chapter 7

**[5]: **This took place in chapter 10

**[6]:** Took place in chapter 14

* * *

**Q/A:**

**Jackalope89: **A Goku/Superman fusion just has to occur though, they are the main characters of this story lol. The red head in question is an alien, and she isn't Starfire. I only mean SSG, no SSB or above. The story will feature the Teen Titans, but that will be much later down the line. I went back and edited those mistakes.

**Neobahamut86: **The DBZ cast will participate in a DC event in the future.

**Rowknan:** Hopefully my writing wasn't as wordy this chapter.

**Edgar H. Sutter: **The Vega system is where Tamaran and those other planets are located.

**Anubis9 lord of death: **This story will include some DBZ movie villains, but not all of them. The DBZ cast are still heroes, just not superheroes. The villains will still try and kill them lol.

**Ferdiad: **Diana's power will plateau eventually.

**Moshe30350redstar: **Turles and Bardock are brothers in this story. Goku went to the DBZ afterlife.

**Aztec 13: **Turles doesn't have the tree of might yet.

**Bruno Zaigot: **I went back and edited those mistakes. Thanks for the kind words.

**RecklessBaka: **I'm not entirely using the New 52 plot, but it is heavily based on it. Alkyone is a character that appeared in Post-Crisis. I chose to use it because I was reading those storylines when I came up with this story. I'm drawing from all forms of DC comics media, so I'm not using any particular story. The only characters that are probably going to appear from Dragonball Super will be Beerus and Whis. Dragonball Super is changing too many plans I already had.

**Outplace: **The legion of superheroes will not be appearing in this story. Frieza already knows about the existence of other powerful beings. He has an organization that spans hundreds of planets.

**NoNameReviewer: **Cell will be even more powerful than he was in canon. Trunks will be from this Universe.

**Jackalope89: **I'm probably not going to include a lot of things from DBS. I already had this story planned out before it was released.

**JOEL: **Frieza and the Green Lanterns relationship will be explored in future chapters.

**Beerus123: **It depends on the specific DBZ character and Olympian god.

**Ninan 222: **The afterlife varies for different characters depending on their beliefs.

**Goku122222: **DC characters can be resurrected by the Dragonballs.

**Sheploo: **Not sure what your question is.

**crayonraisin: **What Maxima/Superman story are you talking about?

**Uub God Of Destructuon: **Uub will show up in this story later on down the line. Goten will appear as well.


	18. Attack of the Saiyans V: D-Day

_Thoughts_

_**Computer Speech**_

"Speech"

**Disclaimer: DC and DBZ belong to their respective owners; I own nothing.**

**Chapter 18: Attack of the Saiyans V: D-Day**

_November 3rd_

**Age 762 (2012), ****Washington, Argus headquarters**

* * *

"Alpha squad is in place, sir!"

"Beta squad is in place, sir!"

"Gamma squad is in place, sir!"

"Omega squad is in place, sir!"

"All squads are in place and accounted for Steve"

Nodding at his second in command, Chichi, Colonel Trevor returned his gaze to the massive computer in front of him. It was almost time.

"I still don't understand why we don't just blast them out of space." Chichi frowned as she folded her arms together. They had the technological capabilities to destroy the Saiyans before they even landed on Earth. So why wasn't Steve taking that route?

"Your concerns are noted Chichi, but we've all received the same Intel. You know about their destructive potential." The Argus commander rebutted. Goku, via Krillin, had relayed important information to Chichi.

"Yes, I know they destroyed a planet on their way here. But they are incapacitated in their ships. We should strike while we still can!"

"And in the off chance that they're not, then what? Those satellites we have orbiting the planet are being manned by people. We'll cost them their lives if we're wrong."

"I know it's a hard decision," Chichi sighed as her cheeks scrunched. "But we both know about risk assessment. Some things are a necessary evil. The lives of the many? Or the lives of the few? The decision is in your hands."

"As much as I would love to wage a philosophical war with you, I can't afford to..."

"The Saiyan's spaceships have now entered the atmosphere, Colonel Trevor." A nearby computer technician interrupted.

"Looks like our little debate has already been settled for us," Trevor inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. It was an argument that would have been fruitless regardless of the winner. "Someone patch me in with Etta Candy. Those spaceships are in direct trajectory with her location."

* * *

**Age 762 (2012), New York, Times Square**

"That's all you managed to get Lapis?"

"It's not my fault that last guy was broke Lazuli." A raven haired boy shot his sister an irritated glare.

"With that pathetic amount of money, we won't even be able to buy a sandwich at the deli." Lazuli scowled as she inspected the money in her brother's hand. It was a whopping five dollars.

"This was all your idea anyway!" Lapis shouted, pointing an accusing finger at his sibling. "You were the one who said we should run away to New York to chase our dreams."

"No one forced you to come," The blonde haired girl quickly rebutted. "And if I recall correctly you were in complete agreement with me." Lazuli said as she slapped her brother's hand aside.

"The big apple if we can make it here we can make it anywhere," Lapis sarcastically responded, doing his best imitation of his sister's voice. "Now look at us we're broke, homeless runaways from a foreign country.

Neither one of them had eaten today. They were still dressed in the same dusty clothes they had worn when they'd arrived in New York. Not only were they tired of wearing the same garments, but quite frankly they were beginning to smell. Staying at their foster home didn't seem like such a bad idea in retrospect.

"Look, everyone starts off a bit rough before they get to the top right?"

"Yeah, I guess." Lapis begrudgingly mumbled.

"One day we'll both look back at this laugh."

"Well, my stomach and pockets certainly aren't laughing right now. I'm beginning to regret even coming here."

"We had nothing there!" Lazuli screamed. "That foster home didn't care about us. We were just another number to them. It's been the same thing our whole lives since our parents died."

Their parents had died just two weeks after Lapis had been born. Neither one of them had any memories of their parents. Extended family members had refused to take them in. Eventually, they fell under the ward of the Chikyu state. They bounced around from foster home to foster home, until last month when they'd run away. Both siblings had gotten tired of the constant instability. **[1]**

"At least we had a home there. We've been sleeping on park benches for the past week!"

"Aren't you supposed to be the tough one bro? You're the one who thought he was some type of thug right? Sleeping on the streets should be a walk in the park for you."

"Don't bring that up!" Lapis snapped. His criminal record was part of the reason they had been bounced around so much. "I did all those things for us. Someone had to make sure we kept money in our pockets."

"Were the aggravated assaults necessary? The shootings? Going as far as joining a gang? Huh Brother?" The disgust was evident in Lazuli's face. She agreed with doing what was necessary to survive, but her brother's previous wanton violence had not been required.

"What I did was dumb," Lapis frowned looking downward. "But you least of all should be judging me. You knew how rough things once were." The areas they had been forced to live in were substandard, to say the least.

"I'm not judging you it's just," Lazuli sighed as she palmed her head. The stress of their current situation was weighing down on her. "I'm just sick of living like this! Our whole lives have been nothing but struggle and..."

"And what? Finish your sentence." Lapis eyebrow raised as he watched a blank expression roll over his sister's face. Something had ruined her train of thought. As the teenager turned skyward, it was then he noticed it.

"What in the world is that?!" Several onlookers shouted as two circular objects began to descend from the sky. They were moving too fast to be a plane.

"Are those blimps?"

"They're too small to be planes."

"Another terrorist attack?!"

"Where are the police?"

"It's headed straight towards us!" Lazuli screamed as a light-bulb went off in her mind "We have to run!"

By then panic had completely washed over the crowd. The events of 9/11, over a decade ago, were still fresh on the New Yorkers minds. Even if it wasn't another terrorist attack, it was still a smart idea to get the heck out of dodge. Grabbing her younger brother's hand, Lazuli began a mad dash away from times squares. Whatever was coming would be there in seconds.

But before the siblings could even get a yard away from the commercial neighborhood, a large tremor knocked them off their feet. The objects had finally landed. Every car alarm was brought to life as an aftershock rattled the streets. With a pair of painful groans, the siblings rose to stand.

"Well, at least it wasn't another terrorist attack." Lapis relented as he dusted himself off.

"We should still vacate the area though. I have a bad feeling about this." Lazuli grimaced as she turned back to face the growing crowd surrounding two gigantic craters. Miraculously nothing had been damaged, save the now ruined road.

"What do you think it is?"

"Is it from outer-space?

"I bet they're aliens!"

"Aliens?"

"No, they can't be aliens. This is probably some kind of government experiment gone wrong."

"A government experiment that just happened to land in times squares? I doubt it."

"There's another pod over here!"

"Maybe it's one of Capsule Corps new products?"

"Whatever it is, I doubt it's good."

The chattering of the onlookers halted immediately as the door to one of the pods opened. Steam from the hatch leaked out, briefly obscuring the sky as it's occupant finally stepped out. A spiky haired man quickly ascended from the hatch, hovering out of the crater he had caused.

"It's...it's...a man?!" The crowd shrieked in unison as the extraterrestrial took a moment to examine his surroundings.

"Pitiful." Vegeta spat in disgust as he viewed the calculations from his scanner. Even the weakest of Saiyan children would have been able to easily slaughter the pathetic crowd. "Here I was expecting a challenge."

"I'm sure these aren't the weaklings who killed Raditz." Nappa said as he finally rose to the surface. The crowd gawked in amazement at his sheer height as he rose.

"They had better not be Nappa. It would only further showcase what an imbecile Raditz was. Dying on a backwater planet like this."

"Don't worry we'll locate and destroy them Vegeta." Nappa quickly reassured. The trip here had to be fruitful, it's duration alone demanded something of value in return for it.

"Halt where you are!"

Confused eyebrow's rose as the Saiyans were confronted by a military convoy marching down the street. Quickly pushing past the civilian onlookers, the squadron of soldiers made their way to approach the unwelcome visitors. A protective barricade was set up as the military attempted to distance itself from the public, urging all non-combatants to leave the area immediately. A brave woman in charge straddled forward, gun in toe as she confronted the Saiyans.

"I know who you are and why you're here."

The two Saiyans glanced over to one another, completely baffled by this new information.

"We know that you're Saiyans who have come to avenge the deaths of your comrade and.."

"Avenge the death of our comrade?" Vegeta rudely interrupted. "We care little for that weak fool Raditz. His death was greatly deserved."

Etta's jaw clenched. _Duly noted_. These Saiyans appeared to be every bit as evil as Krillin had described. Their value for the sacredness of life was practically nonexistent. If they treated one of their own with such disregard, how badly would they view humanity? An aggressive stance would be needed here.

"Regardless of your slain comrade, I am here to tell you are not welcome on this planet. By the power vested in me, as an agent of Argus, granted by the United States of America, I demand you leave our soil."

"Or what?" Nappa goaded with a wagging finger. Her power level deserved nothing but ridicule.

"Your arrogance is disgusting. I guess we'll just have to show you then." Etta said, shaking her head. She had hoped to avoid meaningless conflict. "Let em have it boys."

Her squadron of soldiers all immediately began firing on her commands. Photon cannons were nothing to scoff at. Amping their guns to maximum levels the troops unleashed everything they had. Argus had been given direct orders to kill. Salvaging lives was not part of her directive here. Seething light irradiated their vision momentarily as they poured volley after volley of energy onto the invaders.

"Halt!" The ebony woman commanded as she gave them brief reprise to observe their handiwork. Her jaw dropped as Vegeta and Nappa were completely unharmed.

"That's it? Seriously? I'm disappointed." The prince of Saiyans scowled as he rolled his eyes. All those demands and she couldn't even back up her threats.

"Hit them again! Fire at...!" Etta's words were left incomplete as Nappa suddenly materialized in front of her. _That speed! _She hadn't even seen him move.

"Without your weapons, you're completely useless." Nappa demonstrated as he effortlessly crushed the gun in hands, folding it like a pretzel.

Her fellow operatives continued to fire at the Saiyan, but to no avail. Every blast harmlessly bounced off him. But eventually, Nappa grew tired of their annoyance and sped off to collect their weapons as well. A hazy blur was all that was seen as Nappa snatched and crushed all of the guns. With a devilish grin, the Saiyan clasped his hands together, satisfied with his handiwork.

"Now you all die," His long hand outstretched, crackling with Ki. "You'll be my first victim." His grin began to deteriorate as his so-called victim remained steadfast.

"Activate protocol 009 now!" Etta shouted into her earpiece.

Almost instantly, on her command, her troops began tossing smoke pellets. Coughing was heard as Nappa and Vegeta immediately attempted to shield their mouths. As the smoke finally dispersed it revealed a new challenger to the scene. Etta and the remainder of the Argus agents were flanked out, from safe distances, as she approached Nappa.

"You are not welcome here."

"Tell me something I don't..."

But before the towering Saiyan could finish his sentence, he was blasted by a wave of green energy. Vegeta's brows rose as the woman suddenly burst into flames, that same green energy burning around her. Nappa was forced back, his body tumbling until it came to a painful halt with a nearby car. The air surrounding the combatants began to heat up as the lime green woman ignited her flames once more. Even Vegeta had to take note as profuse beads of sweat began to pour down his skin. **[2]**

_Good job Beatriz! You've got them on their heels now. If you can keep this up for just a little while longer we might be able to..._

Etta's hopes were dashed as Nappa arose from the crushed vehicle, completely unharmed. A look of clear annoyance was etched on the Saiyan's face as he began to march towards her. Visibly shaken, Beatriz began to unleash a flurry of fireballs at her rapidly approaching opponent. Without batting an eye Nappa easily disposed of them, slapping them all into the sky. Before Beatriz or Etta could react Nappa's hands were wrapped around her throat.

Angrily, the mammoth Saiyan began to squeeze the life out of her lungs. The flames around her intensified tremendously as she attempted to fight back, but to no avail. Nappa simply ignored the searing heatwave, not even grimacing at its temperature. Etta and the Argus soldiers unleashed all their remaining weapons, hoping to derail him. But alas, it was too late. With one sickening snap, Beatriz neck was crushed.

Tossing her lifeless body to the wayside Nappa immediately turned his attention towards Etta Candy. The Executive Director was completely stunned as she watched her comrade's body hit the pavement. Beatriz Da Costa had been the first Metahuman Argus had enlisted. Her skills and ability made her the prime candidate for this mission. Krillin had warned Colonel Trevor how dangerous these Saiyans could be, but seeing it firsthand hand was something else.

"I've grown tired of this annoyance. Goodbye."

Slowly lifting his hand into the air Nappa outstretched two fingers.

_What in the world is he doing?_

A malicious grin was the last thing Etta Candy saw as Nappa brought his hand down.

* * *

**Age 762 (2012), Break Wasteland, Chikyu**

"Gohan did you feel that?"

The prepubescent boy simply nodded as he broke his meditation. Rising to his feet the Demi-Saiyan frowned as he sensed the level of destruction that had just taken place.

"It's gone. Completely gone!" The astonished child gawked as he turned to face his mentor.

"Those Saiyans just wiped out Manhattan," Piccolo's fists balled as he felt the immediate drop in energy across the planet. "They did it with such ease too."

Neither Piccolo nor Gohan had sensed a noticeable build up in Ki. One second everything had been fine, and the next everything had been blown to smithereens.

"Gohan," Piccolo began in an unusually concerned tone. "Your training is finished now. Your powers will finally be put to the test."

Goku's son paused as he gazed at his hands. He had been training all these months for this very moment. He was sure of his abilities and skills, his parents had been training him since pampers. But he had never engaged in a fight on this scale. There would be real aftereffects following this battle. There were no Senzu beans to heal the dead.

"If you're afraid you'd better suck it up. The battlefield is no place for cowards." The Namekian was never one to mince words. This was a battle for survival.

"I won't let you down sensei, I promise." Gohan confidently affirmed. He couldn't afford to. He had a legacy to live up to.

* * *

**Age 762 (2012), Siberia, Russia**

Tien and Chiaotzu scowled as they gazed onward, in the direction of the massive Ki discharge. Both warriors grit their teeth as they shared a distraught look. These Saiyans were twice as powerful as Raditz was, maybe even more so. Their power was awe-inspiring. Master Shen's former students had trained to the best of their abilities, but that little display was beyond what either of them had ever fathomed.

Stirring from his thoughts, Tien turned to his best friend. "Chiaotzu, no matter what happens we'll get through it together. I promise." The Triclops finished with a thumbs up for reassurance.

Chiaotzu smiled in response. "Of course Tien, no matter what happens I've got your back!" The Telepath replied, mirroring his friend's thumbs up.

"Good. Let's get ready then, we have some Saiyan's to deal with!"

* * *

**Age 762 (2012), Amazon Rainforest, Brazil**

Yamcha dropped to his knees as they felt the power of the blast. Those Saiyans had just annihilated an entire city. This was no small feat, and from what he could sense they did it with just the bare minimum of their power.

"Unbelievable!" Yamcha murmured as he angrily punched the ground. What chance did the Earth stand against that? "They have to pay! They have to!"

Jumping to his feet the former bandit sparked his Ki as he prepared to take off. He couldn't allow any more lives to be unnecessarily taken. _It didn't matter how powerful they might be. We can't always depend on Goku. The Earth has to handle this one on its own, at least for now. _

* * *

**Age 762 (2012), Mississippi River, USA**

Krillin hands shook uncontrollably, causing him to drop the fish in his hand. He felt it. Every single life that was taken, he felt it. The sheer power radiating from Manhattan was terrifying. The whole city…the entire borough was illuminated by that.. _power_! The sense of dread Krillin felt increased as he unearthed a startling fact; the Saiyan who generated the blast was the _weaker_ of the two. The chances for Earth's survival were already looking slim.

"No!" Krillin shouted as he slumped to the ground. "No…this isn't possible! A whole city…_vanished_." Tears escaped Krillin's eyes as he lamented over the destruction. It had only been months since he had gotten to know her, but Etta Candy had been a dear friend of his. Sadness quickly changed into rage. Gripping his hands he silently swore to seek out justice. "Those Saiyans will pay!"

* * *

**Age 762 (2012), Metropolis**

"_Reports are coming in that Manhattan has been completely wiped off the face of Earth. In the history of humanity, has destruction ever come this swift?"_

"Can you believe it, Clark? Manhattan, gone just like that." Jimmy Olsen sighed as he turned from the TV in the break room. "What could have caused such a th...?" The redhead was left perplexed as the occupant of the seat next to him had suddenly vanished. Clark sure has a knack for doing that.

In a nearby storage room, Kal-El was getting prepared. He hated frequently having to leave Jimmy like that, but it could not be avoided. The moment the news had broke on TV Superman knew what had been the cause. The Saiyans had finally arrived. They spared no time wreaking havoc.

_I just hope the others are prepared. We've got a daunting task ahead of us. As much as I hate to say it, Piccolo's power will come in handy. Hopefully, Goku will be able to make it in time to provide some assistance. I'm sure Bruce has been cooking up something in the Batcave though. _

* * *

**Age 762 (2012), Gotham**

"Master Bruce."

"Yes, Alfred?"

"The Saiyans, they've finally.."

"I'm well aware." Batman curtly stated, cutting off his butler.

"You seem unusually at ease about this. They just blew up Manhattan."

"I'm aware of that as well, and they will pay for their crimes," Bruce scowled under his cowl as his hands tightened together. "But anger right now won't be of any use. I need to approach this tactically."

"So you won't be joining the others in engaging the Saiyans?"

"Not yet Alfred, there's still much work to be done."

"But master Bruce you've had a year to complete your plan. What is taking so long?" Alfred inquired in a confused tone.

"Perfection. That's what." For the past several months Bruce had been slaving away in hopes of finding a means to defeat the Saiyans. He had nearly figured it out. There was just one more missing element before his work could finally be completed. "Superman and the others will have to hold out in the meantime. This is of the utmost importance."

**Age 762 (2012), Remains of Manhattan, USA**

A light breeze fluttered By Nappa's face. He chuckled as he marveled at the destruction he'd caused. The pitiful city they'd landed in had been reduced to smoldering bits. A twenty-two-mile wide crater of destruction lay where the once bustling borough had stood. The silence was defining. The only sound heard was the sickening laughter from Nappa's mouth.

Vegeta scowled at the annoying noise emanating from his companions lungs. That fool had destroyed the entire city. Such wanton destruction had not been warranted. Thank goodness their spaceships at least remained intact.

"Idiot! Your thoughtless actions may have cost us dearly!" Nappa paled at his prince's tone. "What did we come here for?" Nappa blinked incredulously, pondering their reasons for traveling to Earth.

After a few seconds of strenuous thinking, he reached a conclusion. "The Dragonballs?"

Vegeta clapped disingenuously at his fellow Saiyan. "My, my, not so dense after all? Your statement is correct. Now recant what your vapid actions may have cost us." Nappa immediately began assessing his deeds. All he'd done was destroy those meddling humans. After a few minutes, he finally had an epiphany.

"I could have possibly destroyed a Dragonball?" Vegeta once again clapped, even more condescendingly. "Incredible, your level of intelligence seems to have grown tremendously in that space pod."

Nappa remained indifferent, hoping not to further increase his liege's rage.

"Let's just hope your moronic decision didn't cost me immortality," Vegeta said as he clicked his scouter. "What we need to do now is locate the highest power level on this pathetic planet."

Mimicking his partner's actions, Nappa activated his scouter. The portable computer ticked as it scanned for the greatest energy signal. A look of confusion crossed the Saiyan prince's face as the scouter finished calculating. There were more than five earthlings with power levels exceeding one thousand.

"Vegeta, this can't be right. According to my scouter not only do their power levels exceed one thousand, but they exceed Raditz power level!"

Vegeta ignored his companion's words. How was it possible that these Earthlings had achieved such power, in a relatively short amount of time? Shaking his head he discarded the thought, it was of no concern anyways, his power level still vastly exceeded anything on this planet.

"Vegeta I can't locate that power level that killed Raditz."

The prince frowned before responding. "It matters not, we'll simply find the strongest nearby power level."

Nappa nodded as his scouter converged on the immense power level. "Approximately seven hundred miles away, there's two of them." Nappa's finger extended eastward as he directed Vegeta's eyes to the location.

"Good, let's go. Those fools won't know what's about to hit them."

* * *

**Age 762 (2012), Paprika Wasteland, Chikyu**

Piccolo and Gohan arrived on mountainous, prairie land. It was almost identical to the place they had called home for the past few weeks. Landing softly, the two fighters began to prepare themselves for the upcoming battle. Piccolo took the lead, removing his weighted clothing, with Gohan mirroring his actions. As they began stretching they suddenly sensed four large power levels converging towards their location.

"This can't be correct, there can't be two extra Saiyans!" His father's information couldn't possibly have been wrong.

As the energy signatures grew closer Gohan quickly realized who it was. "Krillin!"

"Hey, Gohan!" Krillin smiled as he rushed to greet the child. "Wow, you've grown a lot during these past couple of months."

"Really?" Gohan said in surprise, his eyes opening wide. "Piccolo's been doing a great job training me."

The Namekian simply scoffed as the former monk turned his gaze towards him. He hadn't seen him since the last world's martial art's tournament. For all of their sakes, he hoped Krillin had been training.

"I hope you're prepared Krillin. I know you felt the energy radiating from those Saiyans. Goku won't be here to save your sorry behind if you're not up to the task."

Krillin scowled at Kami's evil half. "Of course, I am. Can't you feel the energy surging from me." Master Roshi's former pupil grinned as he flexed his muscles.

Piccolo's eyebrow rose as he examined the former monk. It was true; his power level had grown considerably since the 24th Tenkaichi Budoukai. The bald man was at least somewhere near Raditz power level.

"I guess you have been training. Just don't get in the way of the real fighters." A smug grin crossed Piccolo's face. "Gohan and I have been intensely training these past months. I don't expect anyone, except those Saiyans to match us."

"I guess we'll really find out when the Saiyans get here." Goku's best friend simply paid him no mind. Piccolo was as much of a prick as he remembered. Not much, outside his power level, had changed.

"Do you know if my mom will be coming Krillin?" Gohan asked as his ears perked up. Piccolo had done his best to keep the Demi-Saiyan in the dark about his mother's disappearance.

"Unfortunately, I don't think so kiddo," Krillin sighed as he patted Gohan's head. Wonder Woman had seemingly vanished off the face of the Earth. Her whereabouts were still a complete mystery. Even Kami didn't have any information.

"If we don't win this battle, you most definitely won't ever see her again Gohan." Folding his arms the Namekian snorted. Now was not the time get sentimental. He understood the child's feelings for his mother, but they could be spared for another time.

"He's a kid for crying out loud, you don't have to treat him like that." Shooting him a look of disgust Krillin attempted to console Diana's son. "Wherever your mom is, I'm sure she'd be proud of you right now."

"She'll probably be very displeased once she learns of your deaths though!" The group looked skywards and saw two new, unknown, warriors converging upon them.

"The Saiyans!"

"They don't have manners on this worthless piece of dirt? Where are the salutations, the greetings, this is, after all, a momentous occasion. The Prince of all Saiyans has decided to bless you with his presence." Arrogance oozed from every word.

"The…Prince….of…all...Saiyans?" Gohan muttered the question burning in everyone's mind.

"Of course, you don't know?" Vegeta retorted matter-of-factly, sighing as he descended to the ground.

So the Saiyans have some sort of monarchy, huh?

"You're him aren't you?" Vegeta questioned as his tail pointed towards Piccolo.

The Namekian blinked, absolutely perplexed as to what Vegeta was referring to.

"Of course, the intelligence level on this planet would be non-existent," Rolling his eyes he continued. "You're the one who killed Raditz aren't you?"

Piccolo smirked as the memories of the day flooded his mind. "I am. I ended his life and I'll do the same to you!"

Uncontrollable laughter tumbled from the prince's mouth. "The stupidity of the inhabitants of this planet is mind blowing." Wiping his fresh tears, he clutched his sides.

"Nappa….read me his power level." The bald Saiyan did as commanded. "He's at…..3,700!" Nappa's eyes bulged as he uttered the number, Vegeta merely chuckled. "It's still inconsequential, so what? I applaud you though, Namekian, you've surpassed Raditz. I also have to thank you for disposing of such a pathetic warrior; he was a disgrace to all Saiyans.

Krillin gawked at Vegeta's comments; Raditz was weak? Impossible! This couldn't be true. Batman had scars that said otherwise- Raditz was anything but weak. But then again everything was relative. If what Vegeta said was true, just what type of frightening power did they possess?

Krillin's musings were interrupted as Piccolo responded. "I keep hearing of these damn Namekian's, what, or who are they?"

Vegeta shook his head in disgust. "You're truly an idiot, aren't you? What fool doesn't know of his own race? Surely you didn't believe you were an Earthling? Your green skin should have informed you of that," That was, after all, Piccolo's most striking feature. "Namek is a planet in a trinary star system, but most importantly it's where you come from!"

Everyone present, save the two Saiyans staggered back. Was Piccolo an alien too? Reeling from their shock, Krillin and Gohan evaluated the facts; they appeared to make sense. Piccolo was vastly different from any demon on Earth. He was green and immensely more powerful than any of his supposed kind. Raditz had briefly touched on the subject of Piccolo's race during battle but had never fully delved into it.

"Namek huh? It makes sense now, I've always known I wasn't from Earth. I just didn't have the proper proof to reinforce my speculations." Ma Junior's shared memories with Kami had given him a glimpse of his ancestral homeland.

"But as heartwarming as your revelation has been," Vegeta spoke up interrupting the moment. "I'd like to return to the more important matter at hand. Where are the Dragonballs?"

The Earth's heroes collectively frowned.

"C'mon Namekian, time is ticking. I have people to slaughter, races to annihilate and a galaxy to conquer. I know you are aware of their location since it was your whose voice we heard through the scouter."

Piccolo brows furrowed as he mentally cursed. He should have remained silent that day."The Dragonballs are gone. No one knows where they reside now and even if we did know we wouldn't tell you. You came a bit too late, as they won't be accessible for another year."

Vegeta's facial expression plummeted, his cocky grin turning into a grimace. Nappa immediately noticed the frown. Good things never happened when the Prince's attitude changed so drastically, the Arlian's were proof of that.

Vegeta paused, before gazing back up. "Namekian don't make this harder than it has to be. I had planned on being cordial and even considered annihilating your planet swiftly. But if you continue on this path, you'll force me to make your deaths agonizing and painful." Pausing, he grit his teeth. "So what do you say? A swift expeditious death now or later?"

Piccolo smiled before vehemently spitting. His fresh saliva landed, a mere inch away, from the heels of the Saiyan prince.

Scrunching his face and fist, Vegeta scowled. "So be it! You've sealed your fate and that of this planets! I tried to be gracious with you impotent vermin, but my grace has dissipated. Consider this planet destroyed!"

Turning, the enraged prince motioned for Nappa to approach him. Never, in a decade had a warrior been so brash as to actually disrespect him in such a manner. Only a few beings could do that and live…and that Namekian was not one of them.

"Nappa! Do as you see fit with these vermin but remember to save the Namekian for last."

Grinning ear to ear the giant Saiyan took a step forward, before he was halted by a slap to the chest. "Oh and Nappa remember, don't blow everything up like you did that city." Nappa nodded in understanding, he was free to do as he pleased; so long as he didn't completely annihilate the battlefield.

"Wait!" It was Krillin's voice this time, and he did not sound pleased. "You mean it was you who blew up East City?"

Nappa nodded, taking pride in his accomplishment. "Yeah, shorty it was me, what's it to ya?" Nappa raised a fist as he waited for a response.

"That city…that borough…held someone I cared about!"

"Krillin I'm so…"

Nappa interjected, cutting Gohan off. "Oh really?" the Saiyan rubbed his chin. "I had a great time…. destroying it! All those people shrieking and crying as I killed them, it was beautiful music to my ears. You should have heard it!"

Krillin growled before he charged, he could no longer contain his anger. Just as the former monk leaped from the ground, he felt his clothes being tugged. A pair of hands grasped his Gi before they promptly tugged him to the ground. Further enraged, Krillin turned and gazed at who had done it; Piccolo. The Namekian frowned at Goku's best friend.

"Idiot! What do you think you're doing? That Saiyan was clearly baiting you. You can't let him get to you! Even the slightest of mistakes could severely cost us in this battle. I know you're angry, but you still have to think wisely. You can sense his power level, and I know you sense that it completely dwarfs your own. We'll need to work together."

Krillin blinked, completely stunned by his longtime foe's words. Was he actually showing concern for him? If he was, it was only because of the challenge at hand. Regardless though, Kami's evil half was indeed correct. His blind anger could have cost him greatly. He needed to gain a grip on his emotions.

"Yeah you're right, I don't know what I was thinking," Krillin nervously chuckled as he rubbed his head. "My headfirst rush into battle could have ended in ruin, I'm sorry guys." Master Roshi's pupil turned and apologized. He received a smile of acceptance from Gohan but Piccolo remained stoic.

"How touching, but let's return to the matters at hand...your deaths!" Nappa's voice rang out from the skies, where he had elevated himself to. Capturing the group's attention once more he continued. "So many ways to die, so little time. How do I kill you all this time?" Lifting a hand, Nappa struck a disingenuous thinking pose. Suddenly, a lightbulb sparked in his mind. "The Saibamen!" Digging into his pockets Nappa grabbed a tablet and pulled it out.

"What is that?"

"I don't know."

"It kind of looks like a capsule, like the one Bulma's company makes."

"Whatever it is...I doubt it's good."

Finishing off the group's ramblings, Piccolo turned as he settled his gaze on Nappa.

"Vegeta, how many of them are their left?"

Down below the prince merely shrugged. "You should know, you are the one holding them after all."

Nappa face-palmed as he realized Vegeta was correct. He had totally forgotten."One, two, three, four!" There are four of them left, that should be more than enough to handle the likes of these weaklings." The gears in his mind began to turn as the bald Saiyan descended to the ground.

"What do you think he's planning?" Krillin asked as he turned to Gohan.

"I don't know, but whatever it is we'd better be ready!"The Demi-Saiyan shouted.

Nappa chuckled as he dipped a hand into the dirt below him. Poking his fingers in the ground he created miniature holes, which were immediately filled with green liquid. The ground shook slightly as smoke began emitting from them. Instantly, the ground began to tremble as if an earthquake was forming. But as soon as the rocking began, it abruptly ended.

Four small green heads emerged from the earth.

"What…what are those?"

Gohan received his answer in the form of an attack as the creatures instantly began their assault.

"Destroy them all!" Nappa ordered.

The eager monsters immediately leaped into battle, catching the heroes off guard. Krillin was the first to be struck, with a stiff kick to the face. The former monk was sent skidding back, stopping only when a small mountain halted his momentum. The remaining duo rushed to assist their fallen comrade but were halted by multiple Saibamen. The Saibamen smiled before encompassing the warriors in a circular formation. "

Well, looks like there's two for each of us." Piccolo grinned as he slid into a battle stance.

"I don't like our chances." Gohan pouted and raised his guard.

"You're lucky you caught me off guard." Dusting himself off Krillin hopped to his feet. "I'm just getting started!" With that the former monk leaped into battle, re-engaging the Saibamen. He arrived with an elbow, smashing into the face of his nearby attackers. With that, the battle was on.

The remaining warriors followed Krillin's lead and each engaged a Saibamen. Multiple shockwaves reverberated throughout the plain as the warriors; good and evil collided. The sky and landscape were soon filled with explosions as the gang of warriors collided. Exiting out of mach-1 Gohan fired a Kamehameha at his foe. The blast connected, and sent the green being plummeting to the ground below.

With a cloud of dust announcing his arrival, the Saibamen laid momentarily defeated. Turning his head, Gohan sensed a new foe approaching. Dashing away Gohan narrowly escaped a hefty forearm. As the Saibamen's claw grasped air, the creature turned and attempted to locate his opponent. He eventually did, when, Gohan reappeared with a fist extended and rammed it into his face.

The Saibamen staggered back as he felt his jaw shatter. Peering down the monster observed red liquid gushing from his lips. His shock quickly turned to anger as he hastily attempted to seek revenge. Unfortunately for him, he didn't receive the opportunity as Gohan promptly blasted him away.

Piccolo meanwhile was having the time of his life. Sure the fate of the world lay in the balance, but a great battle was always a momentous occasion. Stirring from his musings, the former demon king dodged a swift kick from his opponent. The Saibamen were all incredibly powerful, each bearing a power level similar to Raditz own, but Piccolo had greatly surpassed him. The current engagement between the two fighters was…greatly mismatched, to say the least.

The Saibamen's face reddened with frustration as his blows were all parried or evaded. The Namekian in front of him seemed to be toying with him and he simply would not stand for it. Disengaging from the current clash the Saibamen fired a quick energy blast. Piccolo barely had time to react, if not for his quick reflexes he would've surely been engulfed by the attack. Evading the beam by the skin of his teeth, the Namekian growled.

This battle was becoming increasingly redundant. Piccolo decided to put an end to it. Cupping his hands together Kami's evil half began forming Ki. The Saibamen's brows curiously rose as he tried to figure out what was going on. Relinquishing his Ki, Piccolo unleashed several golden balls of energy. The Saibamen's eyes bulged in terror as he awaited his doom; he was greatly surprised when he felt nothing.

Warily he opened his eyes.

His eyes once again expanded as he saw the dozens of spheres that now encased him, Seeing his response Piccolo smirked madly.

"Hellzone Grenade"

The luteous spheres of light proceeded to converge upon the Saibamen. With a conglomeration of colorful rays the Saibamen met its end. Piccolo powered down and proceeded to descend to the ground.

"Nappa these Saibamen are proving to be completely useless and it's beginning to piss me off. Soon enough either you or I will have to get involved in this battle." Nappa paled as he approached Vegeta. If his flame-haired liege was forced to join this scuffle, nothing good would come from it.

"Damn it! These guys are pretty powerful. I don't understand how they're defeating these Saibamen so easily! They all have a power level equal to Raditz'. Except for that Namekian, these guys are barely emitting a power signature."

Vegeta huffed in annoyance as he began removing his scouter. "Of course, they are Nappa, these Earthlings can conceal their energy signal. Remove your scouter at once." Nappa paused, before doing as instructed.

"You Earthlings are a peculiar bunch. Your power level's, your skills, and even your attacks are all intriguing. It's a shame you'll all have to die in the end!" Though the battle had taken an ill turn in regards to his projections, Vegeta still had to commend the heroes for their abilities.

"All right I'll admit you earthlings have surprised me, slightly, but I still have three remaining Saibamen. What do you say to a one on one battle?" Nappa said as he motioned his hands, eager for a quick response.

The Earth's heroes gave each other a quick glance before nodding in unison.

"All right then…who's first?"

The warrior's paused to contemplate before responding. "I guess I'll go." Krillin finally answered.

With that, the former monk dashed into battle. Noticing the diminutive fighter approaching, Nappa nudged the Saibamen in front of him. The Saibamen stumbled forward before managing to compose himself. Sliding into a fighting stance the monster then charged towards his opponent, the two warriors meeting with a cloud of dust. A huge shockwave echoed before both warriors disappeared into supersonic speeds.

The battle soon found its way across the atmosphere as both warriors reappeared in the sky. Slapping a Ki blast away, Krillin distanced himself. His foe charged, attempting to head-butt him. Krillin slyly sidestepped it and retaliated with a chop to the neck. It collided, sending the Saibamen plummeting below. Nearly crashing into the ground, the Saibamen recomposed himself and halted his descent. Scowling he glared upward at his enemy still perched in the sky, before charging to meet him.

"That dwarf is halfway decent."

"Krillin must have really been training hard!"

An explosion captured the onlooker's attention as a Ki beam detonated nearby. A mountain exploded as an energy blast ripped through it. Looking around Master Roshi's pupil ducked as he felt a Ki signature behind him. The Saibamen's strike passed through still air, and he was compensated with a knee to the face. The green being staggered back before he was assaulted again.

A conglomeration of fists, elbow, and knees all made their way onto the Saibamen's body. He shrieked as the last fist collided, slamming into his skull. Dazed, the Saibamen dropped his guard, leaving himself open for attack. Krillin greedily accepted the invitation and pounced once more, hammering the Saibamen with multiple blows.

Ducking under a jab from his opponent, Krillin managed to grab it. Slightly shocked the green being attempted another jab, it results being exactly the same. Staring into the Saibamen's eyes Krillin noticed the fear emitting from him. Pausing, he questioned whether such an emotion was even possible for a creature like him. Discarding the thought Krillin began to spin around, increasing his revolution.

Continuing the motion, his rotation gained steam. Finally reaching a climax, the former monk released the Saibamen from his grasp. The devilish creation plummeted to the ground before a mountain eventually halted his momentum. A tremendous gust of wind flooded the battlefield as the Saibamen crashed. As the air finally cleared, it revealed an unconscious Saibamen embedded in a crater. Smirking, Krillin decided to end the battle for good.

"Kamehameha!"

The blue beam of light illuminated the atmosphere briefly, before converging upon the Saibamen. A humongous explosion rocked the battlefield as the beam collided, completely eradicating the Saibamen from this world. Satisfied with his work Krillin powered down, levitating to the ground with blooming grin on his face.

I'll go next." Gohan volunteered as he stepped forward.

Grabbing a random Saibamen, Nappa tossed him into the line of fire. "You better not lose or they'll be hell to pay!" The miniature monster gulped before standing up and facing his opponent.

"Alright, this should be fun."

With that Gohan vanished into thin air. The Saibamen's eyes danced around, straining as he looked for his opponent. He finally located him when Goku's son converged on him with a kick to the face. The monster growled, stumbling backward before lashing out. His claw clutched air as Gohan vanished again. Frowning, the Saibamen returned to his hunt.

Unfortunately for him, Gohan found him first. With a hasty tug, the Saibamen was catapulted into the air. He laid there momentarily before a barrage of cerulean Ki blasts detonated on him. The monster shrieked as his flesh seared with immense pain. The barrage finally ended when the Demi-Saiyan's arms grew tired of throwing.

As the smoke dissipated it exposed...nothing? Gohan's eyes darted around, glancing sporadically for his opponent. His pursuit was deterred as a green fish crashed into his face. He staggered back, reeling in pain before he felt another blow land, this time in the form of a forearm. Diana's son tumbled to the ground as his face collided with the strike.

"Oh no, Gohan!"

The cry of concern went unheard as Gohan received yet another blow, this time, to the stomach. His lips released a pint of blood, as the Saibamen continued kicking. Chuckling, the creature loomed over his opponent and pounded his chest victoriously. His brief moment of triumph was interrupted by a Ki beam to the face. Screeching, the Saibamen backed away from Gohan and attempted to soothe his skin.

Using that to his advantage, Gohan rose to his feet as he dusted himself off. Sliding into an advanced demon stance he waited. His waiting time wasn't considerable as the Saibamen soon struck out, enraged by his actions. The Saibamen charged, fists extended, but only caught the passing breeze. Turning as he heard the sound of feet landing, he came face to face with Gohan's knuckles.

As the Demi-Saiyan fully extended his fist, he felt something grab his arm. Gohan only realized what happened later on, when he was promptly thrown to the opposite end of the plain by the Saibamen. Gritting his teeth the adolescent quickly realigned himself. Fortunately, he did it in great timing as the Saibamen's fist breezed past his face. Deciding he'd had enough Gohan went on the offensive.

Latching on to the Saibamen's fist he twirled, picking up momentum, before finally tossing him into the nearby distance. The Saibamen crashed into a mountain, shattering it as he landed. Realizing his opponent was still dazed Gohan seized the opportunity and struck. Vaulting into the air, Gohan positioned himself directly in front of the sun.

"What's he doing?"

Krillin's question went unanswered as Gohan plummeted to the ground. Stirring from the rubble the Saibamen stood up just in time to see the Demi-Saiyan about to collide with him. The creature gasped as Gohan's heel slammed into his stomach. Unrelenting, Goku's son pummeled the Saibamen with multiple kicks. With a final stomp, Gohan halted, momentarily. Back flipping off of him, he landed on the ground, to the monster's right, before leaping again. The Saibamen's eyes widened, expanding in horror, as the final, fatal, punch to the solar plexus struck.

"Too easy, I was expecting something a little more difficult," Gohan smiled as he dusted his hands.

"Don't get cocky Gohan. You wasted precious time and exerted needless energy. You should have killed him immediately. Showboating like that only plays into the Saiyan's hands." Piccolo glowered disapprovingly. His pupil was powerful but still had much to learn.

The Demi-Saiyan's shoulders slumped as he heard his sensei's scolding words. As much as he hated to admit it Piccolo was indeed right. He had been warned several times of his tendency to toy with an opponent.

"Don't worry Gohan, you did great." Krillin said, flashing the boy a thumbs up sign. He couldn't let Gohan get too down on himself.

"Which one of you weaklings is next?" Nappa interrupted as he folded his arms together. He was down to his last fighter. Never in his wildest dreams could he have imagined such resistance from the Earthlings.

With a confident stride, Piccolo stepped forward. "It's my turn."

With that the Namekian vanished from sight, reappearing with fists embedded in the Saibamen's gut. Oxygen escaped the creature's lungs as he staggered back. Unrelenting, Piccolo bombarded the Saibamen with an amalgamation of kicks and punches, ending only when Kami's evil half blasted him away, with a Ki blast. As the smoke obscuring the vision of the Saibamen dissipated, he opened his eyes just in time to receive a knee to the jaw. A sickening crunch was heard as his jaw shattered.

Satisfied with his handiwork Piccolo distanced himself and awaited the next confrontation. Shaking the cobwebs, the disgruntled Saibamen scowled as he dusted himself off. Smirking, Piccolo waved for the Saibamen to attack. Charging full speed it appeared that he was attempting to headbutt the Namekian in front of him. Grinning, Piccolo slid into a defensive stance. He was caught by surprise when a white stream of liquid ejected from the creature's skull. Bewildered, Piccolo narrowly escaped the fluid's trajectory, by leaping to the side.

"What was that?!"

Turning, the Namekian observed the damage to the landscape. The stream of liquid had gashed a significant amount of the ground beside him. _Can't let that happen again_. Switching his focus back to the battle at hand, Piccolo attacked. The Saibamen shrieked as Piccolo's elbow smashed into his face. Unrelenting, the Namekian kicked into mach-1 and began pummeling the unprotected Saibamen for several minutes.

Numerous claps of thunder echoed throughout the landscape, as Piccolo clobbered his opponent. With a final shockwave inducing punch, Piccolo materialized in the sky. Glaring, Piccolo paused momentarily as he observed the damage he'd caused. His opponent was bleeding profusely and had several scars across his body. Sensing the battle was coming to a close he decided to go in for the kill. Moving his hands, golden bolts of lightning began encompassing his fingers. The onlookers below blinked questioningly as the heard the sound of crackling energy.

"What's he doing?"

"Just watch, it's an incredibly powerful technique," Gohan smiled as he knew what was coming. "This fight is about to be over."

Krillin blinked quizzically before refocusing his attention on Piccolo who had finally gathered enough energy. Gazing down at the sizzling power in his palm, the Namekian snarled. With his hands forward he uttered three words: "Explosive Demon Wave!"

Bright lights illuminated the sky as the attack converged on the Saibamen. His terrified scream echoed across the plain as he was disintegrated.

"**BOOM**!"

A humongous explosion followed as Piccolo unleashed all the energy. Torrents of wind washed over the battlefield, nearly knocking down the onlookers below.

"Damn…what…. happened?" Krillin quickly received a response as soon as the smoke cleared. There was nothing! Not even a particle of dust was left.

"That's it? I was expecting an actual challenge." Piccolo snorted in disgust as he rejoined his group. All that Saiyan tough talk was for nothing.

"Maybe we won't need my dad's help after all." Gohan smiled as he pumped his fist.

"I was really worried about these Saiyans, but I'm not so afraid anymore. If this is all they have in store, we're in pretty good shape." Krillin mused as he rubbed his chin.

Growling angrily Nappa clenched his fist. Things certainly hadn't gone as planned. Glancing out of his peripheral he could sense Vegeta's growing displeasure. The Saibamen had all been easily defeated in minutes by the Earthlings. But at the very least it had allowed the Saiyans to observe some of their techniques. Nappa could no longer afford to watch from the sidelines.

"I guess I'll have to kill you myself then," Cracking his knuckles the larger Saiyan stepped forward. "I promise you this fight won't be as easy, nor will it be fun." The peaceful calm that had washed over the battlefield immediately dissipated as Nappa's words were uttered.

Turning to his left and right Piccolo warned companions to be on edge. The real battle was about to start.

* * *

**Age 762 (2012), Mojave Desert, USA**

"So this is the planet Kakarot was sent to?" Turles mumbled to himself as he scanned his surroundings. It was completely barren, but that was to be expected when his ship had landed in a desert.

"The nearby power levels are pitiful. How did my foolish nephew fail his mission? All of these humans should have been eradicated by now!" His brother's ineptitude appeared to have been passed down to his son.

It was of no consequence, though. His mission on this planet wasn't to serve the PTO's agenda. He was here of his own devices, on a search for the Dragonballs. If the tales were true the mystical orbs would be able to grant him his heart's desire. He could finally gain the power necessary to crush Frieza like the bug he was.

Unfortunately for him, Vegeta and Nappa had arrived on Earth for that very same reason. One on one Turles might have been able to defeat the prince. Vegeta's skills were legendary, even outside of the PTO. But the space pirates skills were nothing to scoff at either. It would have been a vicious battle, but Turles was willing to take those odds.

Nappa, on the other hand, was completely irrelevant here. He could easily dispose of that overgrown buffoon. A simple Ki blast, at full power, would destroy him. But battling both Saiyans at the same time was something Turles was not prepared for. On top of that, the Earthlings were sure to provide some sort of resistance.

Even if he did somehow manage to defeat Vegeta and Nappa, he wouldn't have the strength left to defeat the Earth's heroes. His best bet now was to simply wait it out. The other Saiyans were already engaged in battle with the Earthlings. Hopefully, both sides would sustain grave injuries from the battle, allowing him to easily swoop in and take the Dragonballs. There was no reason to overexert himself here.

_All I have to do is wait it out. Nappa and Vegeta will do all the heavy lifting for me. This is the first and only time the royal family will ever do anything useful for me. Hopefully, those Earthlings possess enough power...!_

The Saiyan's thoughts were disturbed as his scouter began sporadically beeping. A high power level is approaching. Impossible! _How can someone so powerful exist on this backwater planet! Was Vegeta aware of this? And it appears he's headed directly for me!_ Before Turles could even process another thought, a red and blue blur whizzed in front of him.

"I was on my way to Chikyu when I saw your spaceship stranded in the middle of nowhere. Who exactly are you?" Kal-El wasted no time as his eyes glossed over the mysterious being in front of him. He was dressed similarly like Raditz.

"A Kryptonian on this planet?" Shock oozed from every word. "I believed all of you were dead. This planet is chalk full of surprises."

"You know about Krypton? About the Kryptonians?" Clark pressed forward, interested in learning more.

"Of course, I do, you fool. We were hated enemies."

Hated enemies? Raditz said the same thing. But that must mean he's a Saiyan!

"I can tell by that bewildered expression on your face that you're at a loss for words right now. You believed we were all dead didn't you?"

"No," Superman quickly corrected. "I already encountered one of your kind. Raditz was his name. He brought nothing but death and terror to this world." We were only warned about two Saiyans. _Where did this guy come from? And how could Goku have missed filling us in on such a crucial detail?_

"Well, you don't need to worry about me. Once I have what I came for I'll be on my way back to my star system."

"And just what did you come here for?"

"The Dragonballs of course. If you can assist me on my quest, I might even be able to overlook our race's past disputes."

"That's not going to happen," Clark growled as he balled his fist. He was getting a bad vibe from this Saiyan.

"I'm giving you the chance to live and you still have the nerve to spit in my face? Typical Kryptonian arrogance," Turles sighed as he rubbed his forehead. He was being incredibly gracious here too. "This is exactly how your forefathers started the war."

War? Raditz made mention of it during our encounter. My Kryptonian archives have no knowledge of these events. As much as I hate to admit it, maybe he can provide me with some much-needed answers.

"Tell me more about this war. I want to know everything."

"I'll share my information, but only on one condition."

"What?" Kal-El inquired.

A conniving smile settled onto Turles face. "You'll have to beat it out of me."

* * *

**A big thank you to everyone who reviewed chapter 17! **

**Authors Note: **Please refrain from arguing about power levels in the reviews. It serves no purpose and I'm just going to delete your comment. I've seen multiple stories get flooded by useless bickering. None of you even know what iterations of the characters I'm using. Yamcha, Tien, Chiaotzu, and Wonder Woman will all make important appearances in the next chapter. I know they were featured scarcely, or not even at all in this chapter.

**Thank you all for helping me reach 500 reviews!** I'm halfway to my goal of 1K now.

**I finally got some artwork commissioned for this story. The link is in my profile (just delete the spaces).** Feel free to check it out and let me know what other artwork I should have done.

**[1]: **Those two will be major characters in a story arc later on. A simple google search will reveal who they are.

**[2]:** For those of you who might be unfamiliar, Beatriz Da Costa is the superhero known as Fire.

* * *

**Q/A:**

**darkmist111: **The Superman/Goku fusion will be with the Potara. Superman has Ki, he just doesn't know how to use it. Gohan's divine heritage will eventually be unleashed, but it will be before the Buu saga. Tien and the rest of the human DBZ characters will be more relevant in this story. There's a lot of technology in this shared Universe. You'll see what they do with Raditz body in future chapters.

**Ferdiad: **Gohan is still receiving an education though, I showcased that in Chapter 14. He just won't be a nerd like he was in canon. Super Saiyan Blue is probably not going to be included in this story. I don't really intend on going past SSJ4 or SSG.

**DDEATHSHADE: **I'm not really sure. Lifting power doesn't necessarily correlate with battle strength.

**Lostgamer64: **No, that was a complete typo on my part.

**Jackalope89: **Demi-gods can technically still be gods, so a distinction is kind of hard to make.

**Breakawayfan: **It's just going to be Batman, Superman, and DBZ cast.

**Guest:** I've answered this question multiple times, read my previous chapters.

**Talonsen:** You are misinformed about the DC Universe. Beerus is no where near that powerful.

**6tailedninja: **Harry Potter books exist in this Universe. I went back and edited it.

**Axcel: **You are very misinformed about Superman's capabilities.

**Ultimate Black Ace: **Reviews like yours make my day, thank you so much. I acknowledge the fact that I haven't really built up the Goku/WW and Steve/Chichi pairings. I do plan on expounding on how those relationships were formed though. Romance admittedly is not one of my stronger points.

**Nikola the Einstein: **Beerus is just the god of destruction for his pantheon. That doesn't mean his job has to be limited though.

**Itheone:** **1\. **The sub-plots are indeed necessary**. 2. **I'm not going to include Darkseid War**. 3. **Beerus and Whis will be part of this story**. 4. **It will be a mixture of both**. 5. **DC Rebirth won't happen in this story. Glad to hear you haven't abandoned your stories.

**Nikola the Einstein: **Yes, he'll produce it naturally as a result.

**Lone Gundam: **As a result of the Dragonballs, that's not really going to be possible though.

**Jason123: **I plan on using Beerus, Whis, and SSG from DBS. I might use SSJ4 from from DBGT.

**Moshe30350redstar: **Good guess, but Shay isn't an alien though.

**Sailor Dragonball 87: **Goku knows about Final Destination because he's watched it. Diana isn't a Demi-goddess right now, but that's subject to change. You'll see what Cadmus is planning with Raditz body in future chapters.

**welsh samskara sage:** Tori-Bot is Akira Toryama. How can Toriyama's creation be above himself?

**Outplace: **The Legion of Superheroes will probably not appear in this story at all.

**dark flacon:** Yes

**Dude64:** I don't appreciate you insulting another story in my comment section. Leave whatever issues you have with his story in his comment section please.

**Uub God Of Destructuon: **Gohan's tail was cut off in canon as well. There would be no reason for him to keep it in this story. Piccolo's telepathy was never shown to be that strong either. You'll just have to read and see what happens lol. Gohan will not be paired up with Videl in this story.


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